I**.*. 


m 


i 


m 


M:-< 


k 


♦»♦. 


*-*.J?! 


A> 


**%.^1 


(p.   U.O  L^ 


i 


Srom  t^e  fetBrarg  of 

Q5equeaf3^^  fig  ^im  fo 
t^e  feifirarj?  of 

Qprinceton  C^eofo^icaf  ^etninarg 


r  . 

',- ) 


ftM  t^^ii-n 


^  1 


AAV*-^--^  '^"  4 


h 


'     XX'.    f.>  -.9      -«?'     '     i 


rli-\;^lv  ^^^-^ 


ESSAYS 


COMING  OF   THE  KINGDOM  OF   GOD 


PHI  LO-B  A  SI  LI  CU  S 


PHILADELPHIA: 
ORRIN  ROGERS,  67  SOUTH  SECOND  STREET. 

E.  G.  Dorsey,  Printer. 

1842. 


ESSAY  I. 

For  behold  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you. — Luke 
17:  21. 

The  vvhole  passage  runs  thus:  "And  when  he  was  demanded 
of  the  Pharisees,  when  the  kingdom  of  God  should  come,  he 
answered  tliem  and  said:  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not 
with  observation;  neither  shall  they  say  Lo!  here;  or  Lo! 
there;  for  behold  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you." 

Upon  this  passage  Mr.  Fry  remarks:  "I  confess  after  all 
that  has  been  written  in  explanation  of  this  passage,  some 
difliculty  remains.  I  cannot  think  with  Dr.  M'Knight,  Christ 
meant  to  correct  the  mistaken  notions  of  the  Pharisees,  re- 
specting the  nature  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom — that  it  was  not 
to  consist  of  an  outward  form  of  government  to  be  erected  in 
that  particular  country;  because  we  do  not  know  that  in  their 
conception  of  the  grand  outline  of  the  predicted  kingdom,  they 
were  mistaken;  and  notwithstanding  what  Dr.  Campbell  has 
said  in  his  note,  I  cannot  conceive  that  in  speaking  of  his 
kingdom,  as  the  development  of  a  holy  and  vital  principle  in 
the  hearts  of  men,  he  would  say  to  the  Pharisees  when 
addressing  them  distinct  from  his  disciples;  "The  kingdom  of 
God  is  within  you."  The  translation  of  "among  you,"  Dr. 
Campbell  has  very  properly  discountenanced. 

"I  incline  to  a  much  more  simple  interpretation  of  the 
passage.  The  Pharisees  mean  to  ask  concerning  the  glorious 
kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  and  our  Lord  in  his  answer  meets 
that  question,"  &c. 

Mr.  Fry  might  have  added,  that  the  stress  of  the  question 
lies  upon  the  word  when.  The  Pharisees  could  not  have 
doubted  that  it  was  the  purpose  of  God  to  establish  a  king- 
dom, although  they  did  call  in  question  our  Lord's  claim  to 
be  the  Messiah  and  the  king  of  that  kingdom.  If  the 
question  be  considered  in  connexion  with  our  Lord's  preach- 
ing, and  that  of  his  disciples,  or  with  that  of  John  the  13aptist, 
it  will  be  seen,  that  the  mere  fact  of  asking  the  question,  was 
virtually  a  denial  of  the  truth  of  our  Lord's  doctrine. 

John  the  Baptist  began  his  preaching  in  the  wilderness, 
saying:   Repent  ye  for  the  kingdom   of  heaven  is  at  hand, 


4  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

{i,yyix.i  proxime  abest  has  come  nigh)*  Matth.  3:  2.  Our  Lord 
himself  began  preaching  the  same  doctrine,  Matth.  4:  15,  or 
as  it  is  recorded  in  Mark  1:  15,  "The  time  is  fulfilled  and 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand,"  {>,yytici  has  come  nigh.) 
In  Matth.  11:  13,  it  is  said,  <'for  all  the  prophets  and  the  law 
prophesied  until  John,"  that  is,  the  prophets  who  preceded 
John,  and  the  law  announced  the  kingdom  of  God  as  future, 
but  since  the  days  of  John  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached, 
iua.y^iki,^iTAt  (^th&t  is,)  is  announced  as  come  7ns:h,  (for  such  was 
the  tenor  of  John's  preaching,  Matth.  3:  2,  and  of  the  preach- 
ing of  Christ  and  his  disciples,)  Matth.  4:  17 — 10:  7.  Luke  10: 
9)  and  not  as  a  timig  futureA  The  same  doctrine  was  declared 
by  our  Lord  when  he  was  accused  of  casting  out  devils  by 
Beelzebub:  "But  if  I,  by  the  finger  of  God,  cast  out  devils, 
then  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  tipon  you,  a^dnpiucrivi^''  vfA-JL;» 
/243-XSWT5I/ ess:/,  Matth.  12:  28.  Luke  11:20.  The  twelve  dis- 
ciples were  commanded  to  preach  the  same  doctrine,  that  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  had  come  nigh,  Matth.  10:  7,  and  so  were 
the  seventy  disciples  when  they  were  sent  forth,  Luke  10:  9. 

In  an  important  sense  then,  the  kingdom  of  God  had  come 
nigh  to  the  Jewish  nation,  when  our  Lord  entered  upon  his 
public  ministry,  and  began  to  preach  that  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  had  come  nigh,  or  as  it  is  expressed  in  Luke  11:  20, 
had  come  upon  them  or  reached  them,  and  the  Pharisees  by 
asking  whe7i  it  should  come,  assumed  that  it  had  not  already 
come,  which  we  have  seen,  was  the  great  doctrine  which  our 
Lord  and  his  disciples  were  employed  in  preaching.  The 
reader  will  have  no  difficulty,  it  is  presumed,  in  conceding  to 
us,  this  position,  and  we  proceed  to  remark  that  it  furnishes  a 
clue  by  which  we  may  determine  what  portion  of  our  Lord's 
reply  is  to  be  considered  as  the  answer  to  the  question. 

The  question  was,  "zo/iew  the  kingdom  of  God  should  come." 

*  Dr.  Bloomfield  remarks  upon  this  verse,  that  the  word  xyytm  here  signifies 
instare,  for  Messiah  had  not  yet  appeared,  and  John  was  baptizing,  {it;  tov 
ig);ofji.i)iav,')  into  him  who  vms  coming.  When,  however,  he  comes  to  Matth.  4: 
17,  this  reason  fails;  for  Jesus  himself  was  the  preacher.  On  this  verse  Dr. 
B.  says  "the  address  was  much  the  same  as  that  of  John  the  Baptist,"  (it  was 
identical — yea,  the  very  words  which  John  used)  "and  little  was  said,  because 
our  Lord  did  not  yet  choose  to  publicly  announce  his  Messiahship."  By  what 
text  of  scripture  can  it  be  proved  that  our  Lord  said  but  little  when  he  began 
to  preach  for  the  reason  here  suggested?  We  have  only  a  part  of  his  first  dis- 
course at  Nazareth  recorded,  as  appears  by  Luke  4:  21,  2'2.  The  fact  is,  the 
words  "repent,  for  the  kingdom'of  heaven  is  at  hand,''  mean  the  same  thing, 
when  uttered  by  the  Lord  Jesus  as  by  John  the  Baptist,  his  forerunner. 

t  Probat  praestantiam  Joannis  ministerii  prw  prophetarum  ministerio,  quod 
illi  modo  de  Christo  prophetarunt,  id  est,  rcntumm  prsedixerat;  Joannes  vero 
Christum  prascntevi  mAicdiVh.  CartwrighVs  Harmumj  inloco.  Jam,  planius 
explicat  ab  effectis  cur  Joannem  ca?teris  prcetulerit:  scilicet  quod  illi  omnes 
de  rebus  jutims  prsedicebant,  hie  vero  rem prcesentem  indicavit,  etc.  Cartw right 
ubi  sup. 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  5 

The  import  of  the  answer  (as  we  shall  endeavour  on  a  future 
occasion  to  shew)  is,  "you  inquire  of  me  ixhen  the  glorious 
kingdom  of  Messiah  will  be  established,  and  appear  in  outward 
manifestation.  This  is  a  subject  upon  which  you  will  receive 
no  information,  nor  will  you  discern  its  approach  by  any 
observation  which  you  can  make,  either  of  the  efflux  of  time, 
or  by  any  external  indication  whatever." — In  effect  our  Lord 
told  them  they  asked  for  information  which  they  would  not 
receive.  Even  when  inquired  of  by  his  disciples  concerning 
his  coming,  and  the  outward  manifestation  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  the  information  was  uniformly  withheld.  At  one  time 
he  told  them,  that  of  the  day  and  the  hour  knoweth  no  man, 
no,  nor  the  angels,  nor  the  Son,  but  the  Father  only;  at 
another,  he  said,  it  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times  or  the 
seasons  which  the  Father  has  put  in  his  own  power.  Mark 
13:  32.  Acts  1:  7.  If  then  the  stress  of  the  question  rested 
upon  the  time  when  the  glorious  kingdom  of  the  Messiah 
should  come, — or  zohen  the  Messiah  should  appear  in  his  king- 
dom with  great  power  and  glory,  and  if  our  Lord  intended  in 
his  answer  to  meet  the  stress  of  the  question,  he  would  do  it 
by  denying  to  them  the  information  they  asked  for.  Surely 
he  would  not  reveal  to  his  enemies,  that  which  he  not  only 
concealed  from  his  friends,  but  which  he  declared  that  angels 
would  not  be  informed  of,  beforehand. 

The  answer  then  consists  of  two  clauses*:  viz.  "the  kingdom 
of  God  Cometh  not  with  observation,"  "neither  shall  they  say 
Lo!  here,  or  Lo!  there." — These  two  remarks  answer  the 
question  pointedly,  plainly  and  fully;  and  having  done  this,  he 
adds  a  reiteration  of  the  great  doctrine  he  had  been  and  still 
was  employed  in  preaching,  "but  indeed  the  kingdom  of  God 
has  already  come  to  you" — for  such,  it  is  suggested,  is  the 
meaning  of  the  words  translated,  "for  behold  the  kingdom  of 
God  is  within  you."  The  reasons  for  this  translation  will  be 
given  hereafter. 

This  third  clause  then  is  not  properly  a  part  of  the  answer 
to  the  question.  The  question  had  respect  to  the  actual  out- 
ward manifestation  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  and  this  was  a 
matter  upon  wliich  all  information  was  denied.  In  what  sense 
then,  had  the  kingdom  of  God  come  at  that  time?  for  if  the 
Pharisees  intended  the  glorious  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  that 
kingdom  had  not  come,  in  the  sense  of  being  already  established 
in  manifest  glory,  nor  has  it  yet  come  in  that  sense.  Our  Lord, 
therefore,  when  he  reiterated  the  doctrine  of  the  ki?]gdom  of 
God  come  nigh,  must  be  understood  in  a  sense  different  from 
the  intent  of  the  question.  Daniel  informs  us  of  a  kingdom, 
which  shall  be  established  upon  the  ruins  of  the  fourth 
40* 


g  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

monarchy,  and  that  kingdom  is  symbolized  by  a  stone.  The 
fourth  monarchy,  as  almost  all  commentators  agree,  still  sub- 
sists in  its  divided  state.  This  future  kingdom,  represented 
by  the  stone,  is  the  Messiah's  glorious  kingdom,  and  was  the 
subject  of  the  question  put  by  the  Pharisees.  That  kingdom 
will  not  come  in  a  manner  which  can  be  observed — but  it  will 
come  like  the  lightning's  flash — as  our  Lord  afterwards  told 
his  disciples.  Yet  this  very  kingdom  had  come  nigh  to  that 
nation,  in  such  a  sense,  that  it  might  be  taken  away  from  them 
if  they  rejected  it.  This  is  proved  by  Matth.  21:  43.  In  a 
discourse  with  the  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  people  our 
Lord  quoted  Ps.  117:  22,  23,  and  applied  it  to  himself  He 
had  just  foretold  his  own  rejection  and  crucifixion  by  the 
nation  under  the  parable  of  the  householder  and  his  vineyard, 
and  then  adds  "did  ye  never  read  the  stone  that  the  builders 
rejected,  the  same  has  become  the  head  of  the  comer,  this  is 
the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes:  therefore, 
say  I  unto  you,  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  he  lakeii  from  you  and 
given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof" 

Well  then,  when  Christ  preached  that  the  kingdom  of  God 
had  come  nigh  to  the  Jewish  nation,  (as  he  undoubtedly  did, 
Matth.  4:  17)  he  must  be  understood  to  intend  that  it  had 
really  and  in  truth  come  nigh;  otiiervvise  it  would  be  impossible 
to  suppose  or  say  that  it  might  be  and  would  be  taken  from 
them. — Certainly  it  had  really  come  nigh  in  some  sense,  for 
so  it  was  announced;  and  this  fact  constituted  the  great  dis- 
tinction betvveen  John's  preaching  and  that  of  Malachi  and  the 
prophets  who  preceded  him.  And  there  is  a  sense  also  in 
which  this  kingdom,  which  had  come  nigh  to  the  Jewish 
nation,  was  taken  from  them,  because  our  Lord  expressly 
declared  it  should  be  taken  from  them,  and  given  to  another 
nation;  by  which  other  nation  we  are  to  understand  the  mysti- 
cal body  of  Christ — the  church  of  the  first  born,  or  the  body 
of  true  believers,  as  Peter  teaches,  1st  Epist.  ch.  2:  9. 

What  then  is  this  sense?  for  that  is  the  next  inquiry — Did 
our  Lord  mean  by  kingdom  of  God,  the  Gosj)el  dispensation," 
or  the  "Christian  Church,"  "or  his  spiritual  reign," — as  it  is 
sometimes  called — "begun  in  the  church  on  earth  and  com- 
pleted in  heaven."  The  kingdom,  in  this  sense,  was  not  taken 
from  the  Jews  and  given  to  another  nation  in  exclusion  of 
them:  On  the  contrary,  the  gospel  dispensation  was  opened  at 
Jerusalem,*  and  by  the   express  direction   of  our  Lord  was 

*  "It  must  be  observed  that  this  M-as  an  ancient  preros;aiive,  granted  to  the 
city  by  the  Almiglity,  amoncf  many  other  privileges.  This  Schantgen  illus- 
trates from  numeroLjs  R.abbinieal  wiitings  ....  ''God  will  bestow  no 
benefits,  blessings  or  consolations  on  the  Israelites,  except  from  Zion."  Dr. 
Bloorafield,  Jieccns.  Si/nvp.  on  Luke  21:  47.     But  the  kingdom,  though  first 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  7 

offered  first  of  all  to  the  Jews,  Luke  24:  47.  Acts  13:  46, 
Rom.  1:  16—15:  27.  Acts  3:  19,  21.  The  gospel  and  re- 
pentance and  remission  of  sins  in  the  name  of  Christ  has,  ever 
since  the  day  of  Pentecost,  been  as  freely  offered  to  the  Jews 
as  to  the  Gentiles.  It  is  nothing  to  the  purpose  to  say  that 
they  will  not  believe  in  Christ  or  receive  his  gospel.  That 
only  proves,  that  they  exclude  themselves;  but  that  they  were 
invited  and  urged  with  great  tenderness  and  earnestness,  by 
the  apostles,  to  embrace  the  faith  of  Christ,  is  most  evident  to 
every  reader  of  the  book  of  the  Acts,  and  of  Paul's  epistles. 
In  fact  the  first  Cliristian  church  v.'as  composed  of  converted 
Jews;  and  Peter  declared  (Acts  2:  39)  that  the  promise  was  to 
them  and  to  their  children,  as  well  as  to  those  afar  off.  If  then 
the  kingdom  of  God,  which  John  the  Baptist  and  our  Lord 
and  his  disciples  preached  to  the  Jewish  nation,  as  come  to  them, 
or  as  come  nigh,  to  them  be  the  same  kingdom  that  was  taken 
from  them,  it  follows,  that  that  kingdom  was  not  the  present 
dispensation  of  the  gospel,  or  the  Christian  church,  because 
the  gospel  is  proclaimed  to  them  as  freely  as  to  the  Gentiles, 
and  the  church  is  as  truly  open  to  their  admission. 

The  conclusion  then  seems  to  be  this,  that  the  kingdom  of 
God  had  come  nigh  to  that  nation,  and  was  offered  to  them  in 
a  sense  which  has  not  yet  been  realized  on  earth,  but  which 
the  church  is  looking  forward  to,  in  the  millennial  state,  and 
it  failed  of  being  realized  at  that  time,  in  consequence  of  the 
unbelief  of  the  Jews.  This  is  taught  in  the  parable  of  the 
marriage  supper:  JVIatth.  22:  1-14,  "The  kingdom  of  heaven," 
said  our  Lord,  "is  like  to  a  certain  king,  which  made  a  mar- 
riage for  his  son:  And  sent  forth  his  servants  to  call  them  that 
were  bidden  to  the  wedding,  and  they  would  not  come:  Again, 
he  sent  forth  other  servants,  saying,  tell  them  which  are 
bidden,  behold,  I  have  prepared  my  dinner,  my  oxen  and 
fatlings  are  killed,  and  all  things  are  ready:  Come  unto  the 
marriage;  but  they  made  light  of  it,  and  went  their  ways,  one 
to  his  farm  and  the  other  to  his  merchandise,"  &c. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  parable  represents  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  to  the  Jews,  their  rejection  of  it,  the 
destruction  of  their  city  by  the  Romans,  and  the  subsequent 
preacliing  of  the  gospel  among  the  Gentiles.  It  represents  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  as  a  prepared  feast  or  dinner,  ready  to  be 
partaken   of  by  the  invited  guests.      Had  tlie  invitation  been 

promised  to  lliem,  and  preached  10  them,  was  taken  au-oij  while  iAcij  retained, 
accordiiif^  to  these  authors,  the  prero2:ative  of  having  the  pre-ent  di.spensation 
of  the  Gospel  opened  at  Jerusalem,  Mhich  shews  that  the  kingdom  which  was 
taken  away,  was  not  the  "Gospel  kingdom,"  as  it  is  improperly  called,  mean- 
ing by  it,  the  present  dispensation  of  the  gospel. 


g  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

accepted  by  the  Jews — the  marriage  would  have  taken  place, 
but  their  rejection  of  it  created  a  ngw  exigency,  that,  namehj, 
of  calling  in  other  guests  in  place  of  those  first  hidden,  who 
were  not  worthy.  This  second  bidding  represents  the  present 
dispensation  of  the  gospel,  in  which  the  Gentiles  are  invited 
equally  with  the  Jews.  Here  then  we  see  the  feast,  which 
was  at  first  designed  and  offered  exclusively  to  one  class  of 
persons,  was  taken  from  them  and  actually  bestowed  upon 
another  class;  and  thus  corresponds  with  the  declaration  of  our 
Lord  to  the  Jews  before  quoted,  "therefore,  the  kingdom  of 
God  shall  be  taken  from  you  and  given  to  a  nation  bringing 
forth  the  fruits  thereof." 

The  nation  to  whom  the  kingdom  was  first  offered,  was  an 
elect  nation,  and  the  nation  upon  whom  it  will  actually  be  con- 
ferred, is  also  an  elect  nation.  To  Israel,  after  the  flesh, 
God  said  by  Moses,  "if  ye  will  obey  my  voice,  indeed,  and 
keep  my  covenant,  then  ye  shall  be  a  peculiar  treasure  unto 
me  above  all  people;  for  all  the  earth  is  mine,  and  ye  shall  be 
unto  me  a  kingdom  of  priests  and  a  holy  nation,"  Exod.  19: 
5,  6.  "To  the  strangers  scattered,  &c.  elect  according  to  the 
foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit  unto  obedience,  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,"  God  says  by  Peter,  "ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a 
royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  (or  a  purchased) 
people,"  1  Pet.  1:  1,  2;  and  2:  S,  9. 

This  elect  nation,  upon  which  the  kingdom  will  ultimately 
be  conferred,  is  the  mystical  body  of  Christ.  It  is  not  yet 
completed,  and  the  dinner,  though  long  since  prepared,  is  still 
waiting  for  the  complete  ingathering  of  the  substituted  guests. 
Meantime  the  Jews  who  rejected  the  invitation,  have  involved 
themselves  in  long  continued  and  dreadful  national  calamities, 
which  will  not  cease  during  the  entire  period  which  is  repre- 
sented by  the  bidding  of  other  guests,  (verse  lOfh  of  Matth.  22.) 

Tiiat  Christ  would  have  conferred  upon  the  Jewish  nation 
the  kingdom  which  is  in  the  parable  represented  by  the 
marriage,  and  which  he  and  his  disciples,  also  John  the 
Baptist  preached  as  come  nigh,  is  evident  from  Matth.  23:  37. 
"Oh  Jerusalem,"  &c.  "how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy 
children  together,"  &c.  "6//<  ye  7vould  fiot."  Behold,  your 
house  is  left  unto  j-ou  desolate;  for  I  say  unto  you,  ye  shall 
not  see  me  henceforth,  till  ye  say  blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord."  This  passage  certainly  teaches  that 
the  dispersion  of  the  Jews  and  destruction  of  their  city,  came 
through  their  own  fault.  See  also,  Luke  19:  41,  44.  God  was 
faithful  to  oflTer  them  the  kingdom. — Christ  was  sincere  in 
urging  them  to  accept  it-r-he  wept  over  their  obduracy  and 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD.  9 

unbelief,  but  their  infidelity  did  not  nullify  or  diminish  aught 
from  the  faithfulness  of  God,  as  Paul  declares  in  reference  to 
this  very  particular,  in  Rom.  3:  3. 

The  question  recurs  again:  In  what  sense  was  the  kingdom 
of  God  nigh  to  the  Jewish  nation?  The  answer  is,  it  was 
relatively  nigh,  not  absolutely  so.  The  time  was  fulfilled — the 
70  weeks  spoken  of  in  Daniel  9:  24,  had  elapsed.*  Nothing 
was  wanting  on  the  part  of  God,  in  order  to  the  actual  esta- 
blishment of  the  kingdom  in  manifest  glory.  But  the  Jews 
not  seeing  the  glory  of  Christ,  discredited  the  message.  They 
wanted,  in  fact,  the  heart  to  receive  the  kingdom,  and  wanting 
that,  every  thing  was  wanting  on  their  part.  Speaking  after 
the  manner  of  men,  the  second  advent  of  Christ  was  made 
necessary  by  his  rejection  at  the  first  advent.  The  writer  is 
aware  that  there  are  deeper  reasons,  and  very  deep  and  mys- 
terious purposes  involved  in  this  matter,  and  these  will  come 
up  for  consideration  presently.  Hypothetically,  however, 
and  with  a  view  to  a  clearer  development  of  the  subject,  we 
may  say,  that  if  the  nation  of  the  Jews  had  cordially  received 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  yielded  to  him  the  obedience  of 
faith,  (Rom.  1:  5 — 16:  26)  he  would  have  established  his  king- 
dom immediately, — they  would  have  continued  to  be  the  elect 
and  favoured  nation,  and  no  other  would  have  been  called  or 
gathered  to  take  their  place.  We  may  say  also;  that  the  unbe- 
lief of  the  Jews  and  their  rejection  of  Christ,  was  instru- 
mentally  the  cause  or  occasion  of  postponing  the  establishment 
of  that  kingdom,  or  if  we  may  accommodate  the  popular  language 
of  the  church  to  the  idea,  if  the  Jews  had  closed  in  nationally 
with  the  offer  of  Christ,  the  millennium  which  we  expect 
would  have  commenced  at  the  first  advent  of  Christ,  and  the 
world,  instead  of  the  present  gospel  dispensation,  would  have 
long  since  enjoyed  that  blessedness,  which  the  prophets  fore- 
tell, will  be  realized  in  the  millennial  economy. 

But  why  did  not  the  Jewish  nation  receive  Christ?  Turn 
to  John  6:  44,  for  the  answer.  "No  one  can  come  to  me," 
said  our  Lord  to  the  Jews,  "except  the  Father  which  hath 
sent  me  draw  him."  And  whence  was  this  inability?  It 
arose  from  the  total  corruption  of  human  nature.  The  Jews 
rejected  Christ  and  his  kingdom,  for  the  same  cause  that 
thousands  among  the  Gentiles  now  reject  him.     It   was  the 

*  The  time  here  spoken  of,  is  that  which,  according  to  the  predictions  of  the 
prophets,  was  to  intervene  between  their  days,  or  between  any  period  assigned 
by  them,  and  the  appearance  of  the  Messiah.  This  had  been  revealed  to 
Daniel,  as  consisting  of  what,  in  prophetic  language,  is  denominated  seventy 
weeks,  that  is,  (every  week  being  seven  years)  four  hundred  and  ninety  years, 
reckoning  from  the  order  issued  to  rebuild  the  "temple  of  Jerusalem." 
Bloomfieid,  Recens.  Sun.  on  Mark  1:  15. 


10  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

purpose  of  God  to  allow  the  Jews  to  reject  and  crucify  their 
king.  Nay,  this  thing  was  done,  as  Peter  says,  (Acts  2:  23) 
"hy  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,"  not 
that  God  had  any  pleasure  in  their  sinful  conduct,  (Deut.  5:  29) 
but  as  Paul  says,  that  through  their  fall  and  rejection,  the  offer 
of  the  gospel  might  be  made  to  the  Gentiles,  Rom.  11:  11,  12. 
It  was,  in  part  at  least,  for  the  cure  of  this  depravity,  that  the 
method  of  atonement,  by  the  death  of  Christ,  was  designed; 
so  that  the  depravity  of  the  Jewish  nation  (which  was  no 
greater  than  that  of  the  Gentiles)  carried  into  execution  the 
very  plan  which  God  had  designed  for  its  cure. 

While,  therefore,  the  kingdom  was  urged  upon  the  Jewish 
nation  with  the  sincerity  of  tears,  (Luke  19:  41,  44,)  God 
still  left  them  free  to  reject  it.  He  thus  gave  the  world  an 
example  of  what  depraved  human  nature  would  do  under  an 
economy  of  law;  and  the  fearful  ruin  and  long  continued  deso- 
lation, which  have  rested  upon  that  people  and  their  country, 
shew  us  that  something  more  than  a  national  election,  to  the 
benefits  of  an  economy  of  law,  is  necessary  to  secure  to  fallen 
men,  the  inheritance  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  to  wil:  a 
personal  election  unto  the  obedience  of  faith.  God  foresaw 
the  issue  of  that  economy,  and  his  plans  and  purposes  were 
framed  with  a  view  to  it.  Paul  says,  (Gal.  3:  8)  the  scripture 
foreseeing  that  God  would  justify  the  heathen,  preached  be- 
fore, the  gospel  unto  Abraham,  saying,  "in  thee  shall  all 
nations  be  blessed." — The  permitted  fall  of  the  Jewish  nation, 
was  the  appointed  means  of  attaining  objects  of  immeasurable 
magnitude  to  the  whole  human  race.  Paul  calls  it  the  riches 
of  the  world — the  riches  of  the  Gentiles — the  reconciling  of 
the  world,  Rom.  11:  12,  15.  When  we  consider  the  doc- 
trines which  rest  upon  the  atonement  of  Christ,  we  cannot  fail 
to  see,  that  there  was  a  divine  necessity  for  his  sufferings. 
"Ought  not  Christ" — was  it  not  needful,  that  Christ  should 
"suffer  these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory,"  Luke  24:  26.) 
How  then  could  the  Jewish  nation  accept  the  kingdom  offered 
to  them  by  Christ?  And  if  they  could  not,  why  was  it  offered 
to  them?  Herein  is  a  mystery.  Paul  himself  says,  the  mystery 
of  godliness  (which  is  great,)  consists  partly  in  this,  that  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh,  should  be  preached  to  the  Gentiles,  1 
Tim.  3:  IG.  The  Jew  cannot  understand  this  mystery  with- 
out believing  in  Christ,  and  the  sin  of  his  nation  in  rejecting 
him,  and  that  their  fall  and  judicial  blindness,  were  permitted 
of  God,  both  as  a  punishment  to  them,  and  as  a  means  of 
extending  the  benefits  of  the  kingdom  of  God  to  the  Gentiles. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Gentile  church  sees  no  mystery  in 
the  extension  of  the  gospel  to  them.     They  judge,  that  the 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  1 X 

event  which  has  occurred,  was  primarily  and  unconditionally- 
purposed.  Yet  God  no  more  decreed  the  fall  of  the  Jewish 
nation,  than  he  did  the  fall  of  Adam.  As  Adam,  if  he  had 
stood,  would  have  received  the  reward  of  the  covenant,  under 
which  he  was  placed,  so  the  Jews,  if  they  had  fulfilled  the 
condition,  upon  which  the  promises  were  made  to  them, 
(Exod.  19:  5,  6)  would  have  inherited  the  blessing.*  Yet 
God  foreknew  that  they  would  not  fulfil  them;  nay,  more, 
the  depravity  of  the  human  heart  is  so  great,  that  no  mere  man 
since  the  fall  has  kept  perfectly  the  commandments  of  God. 
No  man  can  do  so,  no  man  can  come  to  Christ  without  divine 
grace.  But  this  fact  did  not  render  it  any  the  less  proper  for 
God  to  deal  with  the  Jews  as  with  moral  agents.  That  he 
did  so  deal  with  them,  is  evident,  from  the  fact  that  he  gave 
them  a  law.  He  made  promises  to  them  upon  a  condition 
which  he  foreknew  would  be  broken  by  every  one  of  the 
people  to  whom  he  gave  it,  and  yet  upon  the  basis  of  the 
performance  of  that  condition,  or  law,  he  promised  to  them 
the  blessings  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  Jews  stumbled 
at  this.  *'What  advantage  then  has  the  Jew?  What  profit 
have  we  by  submitting  to  the  seal  of  the  covenant?  Rom.  3:  1. 
The  apostle  replies  brief!}'  to  the  inquiry,  specifying,  however, 
only  the  benefit  of  being  made  the  depositories  of  divine 
revelation.  But  he  immediately  adds,  that  the  unbelief  of  the 
Jews,  which  lost  them  this  kingdom,  was  no  ground  of  objec- 
tion. The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  faithful  and  sincere  in 
offering  it  to  them,  and  his  faithfulness  was  none  the  less 
because  they  rejected  the  offer.  ''Shall  your  unbelief  make 
the  faith  (fidelity)  of  God  without  effect  or  nullify  it?"  Rom. 
3:  1,  3.  But  says  the  Jew,  still  objecting,  in  reply — "God 
foresaw  all  this — he  knew,  according  to  your  doctrine,  that 
we  should  not  believe — he  knew  that  we  should  reject  and 
crucify  him  whom  you  call  the  Messiah,  and  he  makes 
use  of  this  conduct  of  ours,  to  magnify  and  commend  in 
a  more  glorious  way,  his  own  righteousness. — How  then  is 
it  consistent  with  God's  righteousness  to  take  vengeance 
on  our  nation  for  performing  acts  which  thus  minister  to 
His  own  glory?"  Paul  replies,  by  asserting  that  such  an 
argument  would  deprive  the  world  of  a  moral  governor, 
and  of  a  sovereign.  God  alone  can  govern  the  world,  and 
he  must  and  he  will  govern  it  by  his  own  law,  and  if  that 
be  not  deserving  of  punishment  at  the  hand  of  God,  which  is 

*  If  the  reader  should  object  to  tliis  hypothetical  wav  of  presenting  the 
subject,  it  may  be  replied  that  we  have  a  scriptual  warrant  for  it.  Paul 
adopted  this  method  in  1  Cor.  2:  8.  And  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  efTect  does 
the  same  thing  in  Luke  19:  42,  44.  Matth.  23:  37.  See  also  Deut.  5:  20.  Fs. 
81:  11, 16.  Acts  13:  27.  Such  passages  are  perfectly  consistent  with  such  as 
the  following,  Acts  15:  18—2:  23.    Rom.  8:  29,  30. 


J2  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

really  blame-worthy,  if  God  makes  it  the  means  of  a  greater  dis- 
play of  his  glory,  it  follows,  that  God  must  either  give  up  his 
right  as  a  judge  to  condemn  and  punish  the  guilty,  or  the  exer- 
cise of  his  power  as  a  sovereign  in  overruling  the  wickedness  of 
men,  to  the  advancement  of  his  glory  and  the  good  of  his 
creatures.  God  will  do  neither.  He  will  condemn  the  vio- 
lators of  his  law,  while  he  overrules  their  sin  to  the  praise  of 
his  wisdom,  his  power,  and  his  grace.  Such,  it  is  conceived,  is 
the  scope  of  the  first  eight  verses  of  the  3d  chap,  of  Rom. 

The  case  may  be  stated  thus:  God  elected  the  natural  pos- 
terity of  Abraham  and  Jacob,  as  his  peculiar  people.  Like  the 
rest  of  our  race,  they  were  depraved  and  rebellious  without 
exception.  He  gave  them  a  law  to  which  he  annexed  the 
promise  of  the  kingdom,  in  case  of  obedience.  The  promise 
of  the  kingdom  contained,  in  itself,  the  glories  of  the  millennial 
kingdom — it  was  indeed  that  kingdom — it  contained  in  fact, 
every  thing  which  God  will  bestow  upon  believers  at  the 
resurrection  and  the  glorious  epiphany  of  Christ.  Yet  so 
wicked  were  the  nation,  (and  we  may  add,  so  wicked  are  all  to 
whom  the  gospel  is  preached)  that  if  left  to  themselves,  not  one 
would  have  obeyed  or  accepted  the  proffered  blessings.  What 
then  was  to  be  done?  Ought  God  to  have  foreborne  to  com- 
mand, because  he  knew  they  would  disobey?  That  would  be 
to  give  up  his  right  to  govern  them.  Ought  he  to  have  given 
simply  the  command,  without  annexing  the  promise  of  reward, 
which  he  would  bestow  upon  the  nation  in  case  of  their  na- 
tional obedience,  because  he  knew  they  would  still  disobey, 
notwithstanding  the  allurements  of  the  promise,  and  thereby 
greatly  aggravate  their  guilt?  That  would  not  have  exhibited 
his  government  in  its  true  character,  nor  himself  in  the  benign 
attribute  of  his  abounding  love.  The  command,  without  the 
promise  of  reward  in  case  of  obedience,  would  not  exhibit 
fully  the  motives  which  hisgovernment  furnishes  to  obedience. 
Nor  can  it  be  said,  without  impiety,  that  the  promise  of 
reward  was  not  made  with  the  purpose  of  bestowing  it  in  case 
of  obedience.  Nor  could  the  Jew  say  that  there  is  any  incon- 
sistency in  asserting,  that  God  fully  intended  to  bestow  the 
kingdom  upon  his  nation,  in  case  of  the  performance  of  the 
condition  on  their  part;  because,  God  foreknew  that  the  con- 
dition would  not  be  performed.  The  father  of  a  profligate 
family  may,  with  entire  sincerity,  promise  to  divide  his  estate 
among  them,  if  they  will  reform  their  lives  and  be  obedient 
to  his  authority,  though  he  may  at  the  same  time  be  morally 
certain,  that  the  force  of  their  depraved  nature  and  vicious 
habits  will  countervail  the  motive  annexed  to  his  promise,  and 
he  may,  in  view  of  that  certainty,  cotemporaneously  purpose  to 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD.  13 

bestow  his  estate  upon  the  poor  of  the  parish.  But  such  a 
secondary  purpose  would  be  no  ground  of  impeaching  the 
sincerity  of  the  offer,  because  the  breach  of  the  condition  on 
their  part  must  precede,  in  the  order  of  the  father's  acts,  the 
execution  of  the  purpose  in  favour  of  the  poor,  and  so  the  loss 
would  come  to  them  through  their  fault,  and  not  through  the 
unfaithfulness  of  their  parent. 

It  is  impossible,  however,  by  human  analogies  to  exemplity 
fully  the  dealings  or  the  purposes  of  God,  but  this  illustration 
may  enable  the  reader  to  apprehend  how  it  could  be,  that  God 
should   offer  the   kingdom  at  first  exclusively  to  the  Jewish 
nation,  and  how  it  was  necessary  that  the  Jews  should  reject 
it,  and  stumble  and  fall  as  a  nation,  in  order  to  make  it  possible 
to  offer  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  to  the  Gentiles.     This  illus- 
tration too,  may  enable  us  more  clearly  to  explain  what  the 
reader    may   consider  a  contradiction,   between    the  different 
clauses  of  our  Lord's  answer  to  the  Jews,  as  the  writer  con- 
ceives its  import:  First,  he  tells  the  Pharisees  in  reply  ^to  their 
question,  "Wien  the  kingdom  of  God  should  appear?  '     You 
ask  for  information  which  will   not  be  revealed  to  angels^or 
men;  men  will  know  when  they  see  it,  but  not  before;  and  then 
he  tells  them,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  has  already  come  to 
them.     That  is  to  say,  the  kingdom  has  not  come,  and  yet  it 
has  come;  and  this  is  affirmed  of  the  same  kingdom,  to  wit,  of 
the  glorious  kingdom  of  Christ.     The  carnal  Jews  could  not 
understand  this  to  be  any  thing  but  a  flat  contradiction.      But 
the  meaning  of  our  Lord  may  be  paraphrased  thus:    The  time 
is  fulfilled— the  kingdom  of  God  which  was  promised  to  your 
fathers  has  come  to  you.     It  is  ready  to  be  established.     But 
I  know  you  will  not  believe  me,  nor  receive  the  kingdom 
which  I  offer;  therefore,  although  it  is  freely  offered  to  your 
nation,  yet  it  will  not  now  be  established,  because  it  is  not  the 
purpose  of  God  at  this  time  to  pour  out  his  spirit  upon  your 
nation,  and  bring  you  to  receive  me  and  my  Gospel.     More 
than  this,  the  spirit  will  not  be  given  till  I  be  glorified,  and  I 
must  suffer  many  things  at  your  hands,  and  be  rejected  of  your 
nation,  before  I  enter  into  glory.     This  will  open  a  new  dis- 
pensation, the  benefits  of  which  will  be  shared  by  the  Gentiles 
as  well  as  the  Jews,  and  under  the  administration  of  the  Spirit, 
elect  persons  out  of  all  nations  will  be  gathered  into  one  body, 
and  made  a  truly  holy  nation,  which  will  be  substituted  in  your 
place.     When  this  nation  shall  be  completed,  the  kingdom  of 
God  will  come,  but  of  the  day  and  of  the  hour  of  its  comple- 
tion, knoweth  no  man  nor  angel.   This  kingdom  of  God  cometh 
not  with  observation;  you  will  have  no  means  of  noting  its 
progress,  or  its  distance  from  completion,  and  consequently  it 
VOL.  III. — 41 


14  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

will  come  as  a  snare  upon  all  that  dwell  on  the  earth.  Yet  if 
ye  will  receive  it,  that  kingdom  about  which  you  inquire  since 
the  days  of  John  the  Baptist  is  truly  come,  and  is  sincerely 
oiferetl,  and  will  fail  of  its  establishment  only  through  thetault 
of  your  nation. 

Some  suppose  that  God  had  no  especial  reference  to  the  natu- 
ral posterity  of  Abraham,  in  the  promises  he  made  to  that  peo- 
ple of  the  kingdom  of  heaven — that  when  he  spoke  of  the  chil- 
dren, he  did  not  intend  children  according  to  the  flesh  in  any 
sense,  but  that  he  meant  merely  that  he  would  raise  up  to  Abra- 
ham from  among  the  Gentiles  a  numerous  posterity,  who  should 
be  heirs  of  liis  faith.  Yet  the  apostle  Paul  tells  us  in  Rom. 
15:  S,  that  "Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for 
the  truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises  unto  the  fathers." 
The  Jew  on  the  other  hand  cannot  perceive  how  the  Gentiles 
can,  in  any  sense,  or  in  any  order,  come  in  for  a  share  of  those 
promises,  (Matt.  3:  9.)  In  fact,  even  the  apostles  did  not  be- 
lieve it,  till  they  saw  God  actually  conferring  the  gifts  of  the 
Spirit  upon  tlie  Gentiles,  without  first  aggregating  them  to  the 
Jewish  commonwealth.  Acts  15:  and  11:  14,  IS,  and  this 
error  of  the  Jews,  even  of  some  who  professed  faith  in  Christ, 
was  a  cause  of  great  trouble  in  the  apostolic  churches.  Yet 
both  Jews  and  Christians  err  in  these  particulars.  The  promises 
were  first  made  to  Israel  according  to  the  flesh,  Rom.  9:  4,  5. 
Exod.  19:  5,  6.  The  gospel  of  the  kingdom  was  first  preached 
to  them  exclusively  as  a  nation,  and  as  the  elect  7mtioji.  Our 
Lord  even  forbade  his  disciples  to  go  into  the  way  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  so  firmly  were  the  apostles  persuaded  that  they  ought 
to  confine  their  ministry  to  the  Jews,  that  a  divine  vision  and 
the  command  of  the  Spirit,  were  necessary  to  persuade  Peter 
to  go  to  the  Gentile  Cornelius.  In  this  respect  the  gospel  was 
enforced  upon  the  Jews  by  peculiar  motives;  to  no  other  na- 
tion is  it  offered  in  its  national  capacity.  It  is  now  preached 
to  individuals  among  all  nations,  but  not  to  the  nations  as  such. 
Let  us  not  be  misunderstood:  What  we  mean  is  this:  To 
no  other  nation  is  it  promised,  that,  upon  a  national  and  uni- 
versal reception  of  the  gospel  with  the  obedience  of  faith,  God 
will  immediately  reveal  and  establish  his  kingdom  in  outward 
manifestation  upon  earth;  yet  such  was  the  purport  of  the  offer 
to  the  Jewish  nation.    Christ  came  (rx/J'/a)  to  his  own*  (things, 

*  The  Jews  (as  Wetstein  observes,)  were  the  peculiar  people  of  God,  and 
the  temple  of  Jerusalem  the  temple  of  God,  and  therefore,  also,  the  inheritance 
of  the  Son  of  God,  (Mnl.  'i:  1,)  moreover,  Christ's  coming  had  been  predicted 
by  the  prophets  to  thie  Jews,  was  eagerly  expected,  and  John  had  pointed  the 
Lord  Jesus  out  to  them  as  the  Messiah.  Yet  they  received  him  not,  though 
born  in  Judca,  a  constant  frequenter  of  the  temple,  and  one  who  disseminated 
instruction  throughout  the  country:  nay,  his  very  relations  had  little  or  no 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  J5 

tingdom)  and  {ouS-toi,)  hrs  own  (people,  subjects)  received  him 
not,  John  1:  11.  Had  they  received  him  he  would  have  made 
his  abode  with  them,  and  exerted  his  power  in  the  expulsion 
of  Satan  and  of  sin,  and  tiie  curse  from  the  earth.  But  his  visit 
was  not  without  effect  for  good,  to  some  of  that  people,  Rom. 
11:  5,  7,  for  to  as  many  as  did  receive  him,  to  them  gave  lie 
power  (which  he  came  to  confer  upon  all,  and  would  have  con- 
ferred upon  all,  if  they  would  have  received  him,)  to  become 
sons  of  God,  John  1 :  12.  But  the  promise  to  them  as  a  tiation, 
was  lost  by  their  obduracy  and  unbelief,  while  individuals, 
through  the  especial  grace  of  God,  were  drawn  to  Christ,  and 
sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  unto  the  day,  when  Christ 
will  return  to  redeem  their  bodies  from  tlie  power  of  the  grave, 
Luke  21:  28.  Eph.  4:  30.  Rom.  S:  19,23.  Thus  the  re- 
sult, as  it  respected  the  nation,  (notwithstanding  the  peculiar 
promises  made  to  it,)  was  the  same  as  that  which  attends  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  among  the  Gentiles,  to  whom  it  is  not 
offered  in  a  national  capacity — individuals  believe,  while  mul- 
titudes reject  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom,  and  those  who  do 
believe,  receive  the  spirit  of  adoption  and  power  to  become 
the  sons  of  God,  while  the  promise  of  establishing  the  kingdom 
of  God  on  earth  in  manifested  glory,  still  depends,  so  to  speak, 
upon  the  national  repentance  of  the  Jewish  nation.  But  when 
will  this  be?  We  know  not,  it  is  a  secret  unrevealed.  It  is 
not  for  us  to  know  the  times  and  the  seasons,  upon  which  the 
restoration  of  the  kingdom  to  Israel,  depends,  Acts  1:  6,  7. 
The  Father  has  reserved  these  in  his  own  power.  But  we 
know  that  it  will  not  occur,  till  the  period  of  mercy  allotted  to 
the  Gentiles  shall  have  elapsed,  (see  Rom.  11:  30,  31,  in  the 
original.)  Till  then  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  by  her 
enemies,  and  her  children  shall  remain  dispersed  among  all  na- 
tions, as  witnesses  for  God,  of  his  just  judgment  against  them 
for  rejecting  the  kingdom  which  the  Lord  Jesus  came  to  esta- 
blish over  them.  But  God  will  at  length  visit  them  with  his 
mercy,  for  his  gifts  and  calling  are  without  repentance.  They 
are  still  beloved  for  their  fathers'  sake,  Rom.  11:  28,  29.  But 
now  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  no  longer  at  hand  to  them  as  a 
nation,  their  place  is  taken  away,  and  their  nation  is  destroyed, 
though  their  race  remains,  and  will  be  preserved,  that  it  may 
be  gathered   again,  when  the  long  suffering  and   patience  of 

faith  in  him.  See  John  7:  5.  Eiithymius  refers  to  Matt.  15:  24.  "I  am  not 
sent,  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  The  expression  to.  th^t  is 
elliptical.  We  must  supply  ot>irifxa.TcL  or  S\L[xt.rrai.  It  denotes  "what  anyone  in- 
habits or  occupies  as  his  own,  or  the  place  of  his  birth."  Bloomfield /?eceMS. 
Syno^t.  But  see  Deut.  32:  9—26:  18,  19.  Exod.  15;  16—19:  5,  6.  1  Sam. 
10:  1.  Ps.  135:  4.  Is.  43:  21.  Jer.  10:  16—51:  19.  These  places  leave  no 
doubt  as  to  the  meaning  of  this  expression. 


l()  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

God  towards  Apostate  Christendom,  shall  be  exhausted.  Then 
will  he  suddenly  turn  to  the  dispersed  of  Israel,  and  the  nation 
shall,  when  gathered  again,  be  born  at  once,  (Isaiah  G6:  8,) 
and  the  present  dispensation  will  close.  Zion  shall  then  arise 
and  shine,  for  her  light  will  then  have  come,  and  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  will  have  risen  upon  her,  and  the  kingdom  of  God 
will  be  established  on  earth,  (Luke  21:  31.) 

But  this  essay  is  already  too  long,  we  shall  add  only  a  few 
critical  remarks  upon  this  portion  of  the  verse,  in  anticipation 
of  a  more  extended  examination  hereafter.  The  words  trans- 
lated "for  behold  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you"  are  the 

lOllOWing:    iJ'.v  yap  «  /S«o-  tXita  nu  Biou  ivto;  vy.m  f7Tlv. 

Dr.  Macknight  tells  us  (after  Phavorinus,)  that  >«/>  has  some- 
times the  adversative  sense  of  cTs  and  should  be  translated  hut, 
2jet,  or  although.  He  refers  to  1  Pet.  4:  15.  Mark  7:  28. 
Luke  22:  2.  "Rom.  10:  3—15:  2,  18.  1  Cor.  10:  29.  2  Cor. 
5:  2 — 12:  1.  Heb.  12:  20.  And  such,  it  is  submitted,  is  the 
sense  in  this  place.  Certainly  if  the  general  view  taken  of  the 
Saviour's  answer  be  correct,  the  word  will  not  admit  of  any 
other  than  an  adversative  sense.  The  word  iJou  behold,  is  used 
for  the  sake  of  emjjhasis.  Its  office  is  to  add  intensity  to  the 
affirmation,  or  it  may  be  considered  as  an  appeal  to  the  evi- 
dence of  their  senses  for  ]:)roof  of  the  truth,  that  "the  kingdom 
of  God  was  among  them."  Tliese  evidences  were  his  nume- 
rous miracles  which  were  of  a  kind  especially  appropriate  to 
his  doctrine.  AVhether  the  word  be  translated  behold  or  i7ideed,  is 
not  important.  The  phrase  ivroc  i/um  v.tiv  is  equivalent  to  i<fS^a-iv 
i:p' Cjux;  in  Luke  11:  20,  or  to  i:p(iu.<riv  ivro;  vjuuv.  In  Luke  11:  20, 
our  Lord  said  to  the  Pharisees,  "the  kingdom  of  God  has  come 
upon  you,"  "lias  arrived  at,  or  by  lapse  of  time  has  reached 
or  attained  to  you."  The  kingdom  of  God  therefore  was 
among  them;  as  if  he  had  said  "the  time  is  fulfilled,"  Mark 
1:  15 — the  kingdom  of  God  is  no  longer  announced  as  future, 
but  as  come,  (not  to  all  nations)  but  to  you,  and  is  within  you. 
The  word  you  v^m  cannot  be  understood  of  the  hidividuals  ad- 
dressed; they  were  unbelievers  in  the  Saviour  and  his  doctrine, 
as  is  proved  by  their  asking  the  question.  They  were  ad- 
dressed as  a  part  of  the  nation,  and  the  meaning  is,  the  king- 
dom of  God  was  rvilhin  their  nalioti — it  had  come  to  them  as  a 
people,  and  the  offer  of  it  was  restricted  to  them,  Matt.  10:  5. 
"Go  ye  not  into  the  way  of  the  Gentiles,"  said  our  Lord  to 
his  disciples.  Hence  the  peculiar  significancy  of  svtoc  uilhin. 
The  kingdom  of  God  had  come — it  had  reached  the  world,  not 
the  world  at  large,  but  only  one  nation;  nor  was  it  preached,  ex- 
cept (si'TscTousSvoi/  T4IV  UuSaiuv)  wlthlu  Bud  among  the  Jewish  people.* 

♦  Tlie  only  other  place  in  the  N.  T.,  where  the  word  «i'to;  occurs,  is  Matt. 
23:  30.  Cleanse  first  (to  nn;  tou  ttoth^iov)  the  vntkin  of  the  cup,  that  is  the  inside 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  17 

In  the  next  essay  this  subject  will  be  resumed,  and  some  ob- 
servations will  be  made  for  the  purpose  of  shewing  more 
clearly  the  bearings  of  it  upon  other  doctrines. 


ESSAY  II. 


For  behold  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you. 

Luke  17:  21. 

In  the  preceding  essay,  it  was  suggested  that  the  kingdom 
referred  to,  in  this  passage,  is  the  glorious  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
siah. It  was  proven  that  there  is  a  sense  in  which  the  king- 
dom of  God  had  come  nigh  to  the  Jewish  nation,  from  the 
time  that  John  the  Baptist  began  to  preach,  Matt.  3:  2 — 4:  17 

10:  7.     Mark  1:   15;  or  as  it  is  expressed  in  Luke  11:  20, 

the  kingdom  of  God  from  that  time  had  come  upon  that  nation. 
It  was  also  proven,  that  there  is  a  sense  in  which  the  kingdom 
of  God  was  taken  from  the  Jews,  (Matt.  21:  43,)  and  that  the 
present  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  cannot  be  the  kingdom 
which  was  taken  from  them,  because  it  was  preached  after  our 

of  il,  and  it  is  used  in  contrast  with  (to  iKroi)  the  u-ifhont,  or  outside  of  the  cup. 
It  occurs  in  the  following  places  in  the  Septuagint,  Ps.  38:  3—108:  22.  Cant. 
3-  10.  Mv  heart  was  hot  u-il/dn  vie,  svtoc  fxov,— my  heart  was  greatly  disturbed 
within  mc."  King  Solomon  made  himself  a  chariot  .....  and  its  inside,  {ivto;  m 
Tcv  )  was  carpeted  with  love.  In  other  places  it  is  used  with  t-ci,  for  the  mside  or 
things  within,  as  in  Ps.  102:  1.  Isaiah  IG:  11.  Dan.  10:  16;  and  twice  m  the 
Apocrypha,  Eccles.  19:  26.  1  Mac.  4:  48,  (and  all  that  is  vrithin  me,  ru  erro: 
uov,  bless  his  holy  name,  ra  ivragavTov,  Eccles.  19:  26;  t^  svto?  tou  cu<,v,  1  Mac. 
4:  48.)  See  Dr.  Campbell's  note  on  Luke  17:  21.  The  word  therefore  pro- 
perly signifies  ivithin,  and  the  question  is  within  whaf?  The  true  answer  is 
within  the  Jewish  nation,  which  was  the  elect.  But  it  was  not  within  that 
nation  in  the  sense,  that  it  was  heartily  received,  or  embraced  by  the  people; 
in  fact  it  was  not  even  discerned  by  the  many.  But  the  kingdom  of  God  was 
preached  within  the  nation,  and  nowhere  else.  It  was  offered  to  that  nation 
exclusively,  and  in  that  sen«e  it  had  come  to  them,  was  within  them,  and  among 
them,  andwould  have  been  established  had  not  the  nation  rejected  it.  When 
the  dispensation  of  the  Gospel  was  opened,  the  kingdom  was  no  longer  vnthin 
the  Jewish  nation,  nor  was  it  «'iM/?i  any  other  nation  in  particular.  The  king- 
dom of  God  wasno  longer  nigh  (or  at  hand)  to  any  nation  in  the  sense  in  which 
it  had  been  nigh  to  the  Jews.  Cornelius  d,  Lapide,  makes  the  following  gloss, 
rcgnum  Dei  intra  vos  est,  id  est  in  vestra  potestate  est;  si  videlicet  Christi  fidem 
et'gratiam  amplecti,  illique  cooperari  velitis,  quia  ut  ait  Titus  in  voluntatis 
arbitriopositum  est  accipereregnum  Dei.  Tcrtio,  "regnum  Dei  intra  vos  est," 
quia  Christus  Deus,  et  re.x  hoc  regnum  prsedicnns  et  largiens  inter  vos  ver- 
satur,  &c.  He  cites  Theophylact. 
41* 


|g  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

Lord's  ascension  as  freely  to  the  Jews  as  to  the  Gentiles — 
nay  more,  it  is  clear  that  in  some  sense,  the  Jews  still  had  tlie 
priority,  Luke  24:  47.  Acts  1:  8 — 13:  46.  Rom.  1:  16— 
15:  27.  The  kingdom  thus  taken  from  them,  was  that  which 
was  from  the  first  offered  to  them,  but  having  been  rejected  it 
remains,  so  to  speak,  in  abeyance,  waiting  the  completion  of 
another  nation,  also  elect,  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of 
God,  and  which  will  be  gathered  under  the  administration  of  the 
spirit.  Upon  this  nation  the  kingdom  of  God  will  be  con- 
ferred, and  this  is  the  same  kingdom  which  was  rejected  by 
the  nation  of  Israel  according  to  the  flesh. 

Those  W'ho  maintain  that  our  Lord  referred  by  this  expres- 
sion, to  the  present  dispensation  of  the  Gospel,  do  in  effect  ex- 
tend this  dispensation  backward,  so  as  to  make  it  commence 
during  the  Levitical  economy;  which  certainly  existed  at  the 
time  of  this  conversation  of  our  Lord  with  the  Pharisees. — 
They  forget  too,  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  whose  agency  this 
dispensation  is  carried  on,  was  not  given  at  the  time  in  ques- 
tion; and  although  some  were  drawn  of  the  Father  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  during  his  personal  ministry,  (Joha  1:  12 — 6:  44,) 
yet  the  representation  which  the  Scriptures  give  us  of  the  state 
of  that  people  during  our  Lord's  ministry,  does  not  justify  the 
expression  of  Dr.  Scott,  that  the  kingdom  was  set  up  in  the 
hearts  of  7na?iy  whom  the  Pharisees  despised.  No  doubt  God 
had  an  elect  number  among  that  people,  who  were  afterzcards, 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  was  given,  converted  to  the  faith  of 
Christ — thousands  were  converted  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
Acts  2:  41,  and  before  the  destruction  of  the  nation,  Acts  21: 
20,  among  whom  were  a  great  company  of  priests,  Acts  6:  7, 
but  the  largest  number  of  believers  before  the  ascension  is 
mentioned  in  1  Cor.  15:  6.  It  is  often  said  that  although  the 
Lord  Jesus  spake  as  never  man  spake,  yet  his  preaching  was 
much  less  successful  than  that  of  his  apostles.  The  reason  is, 
the  Spirit  was  not  given  till  Jesus  was  glorified,  John  7:  39, 
and  it  was  needful  that  he  should  be  rejected,  and  suffer  death 
before  he  should  enter  into  his  glory,  Luke  24:  26.  But  other 
reasons  concurred  with  these,  as  we  shall  see  presently,  touch- 
ing the  trial  God  was  making  of  human  nature,  in  the  exam- 
ple of  the  Jews. 

Nor  can  it  be  objected,  that  what  is  predicated  of  the  king- 
dom of  God,  in  the  former  clause,  (viz:  that  it  cometh  not 
with  observation,)  is  inapplicable  to  the  glorious  kingdom  of 
Messiah. 

Without  stopping  now  to  inquire  into  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase  (/M«Ta  Tru^amgna-ia);)  zcith  observatio?2,  it  ma}^  be  remarked,  that 
coming,  as  it  will,  at  the  close  of  this  dispensation,  there  is  no 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  jg 

Other  possible  means  of  determining  its  approach,  than  by  de- 
noting the  progress  of  the  present  economy,  and  the  advance- 
ment of  that  spiritual  building,  which  the  Holy  Ghost  is  now- 
employed  in  erecting.  But  who  can  tell  the  number  of  the 
elect.^  It  is  a  great  multitude,  whom  no  one  can  number,  of 
all  nations  and  kindreds  of  people  and  tongues,  Rev.  7:  9. 
Who  can  tell  out  of  how  many  generations  of  the  race  of  the 
elect  church  shall  be  gathered?  The  problem  involves  the  de- 
tails of  the  economy  of  grace,  which  have  not  been  revealed, 
and  which  perhaps  no  finite  mind  could  comprehend.  Hence 
jas  we  can  neither  mark  the  progress,  nor  see  the  end  of  this 
work  of  the  spirit,  the  kingdom,  which  will  suddenly  be  de- 
veloped upon  the  completion  of  this  work,  (of  which  indeed  it 
will  be  the  fruit,)  will  come  without  observation.  None  will 
have  opportunity  to  say  to  his  fellow,  lo!  here,  or  lo!  there  it 
comes,  as  if  it  were  a  material  object  slowly  approachino-  from 
a  distance,  but  suddenly  as  a  snare  shall  it  fall  upon  the%vorld 
of  the  ungodly,  while  in  a  twinkling,  the  sleeping  dust  of  the 
departed  saints  shall  be  reanimated;  the  living  saints  be 
changed,  and  both  be  caught  up  together,  to  meet  their  eternal 
king  coming  in  his  glory  and  his  kingdom,  2  Tim.  4-1  i 
Thess.  4:   15,  17. 

But  if  such  be  the  sense  of  the  first  clause,  it  was  needful 
to  reiterate  the  doctrine  which  our  Lord  had  all  along  preached 
to  the  nation.  "But  indeed  the  kingdom  of  God' has  come 
to  you."  Had  he  replied  to  them  simply,  as  he  did  to  his 
disciples,  (in  Acts  1:  7)  "it  is  not  for  you  'to  know  the  times 

and  seasons  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power" or 

if  he  had  said,  "the  day  and  the  hour  of  the  comino-  of  the 
kingdom  no  man  nor  angel  knoweth,  no,  nor  the  Son* but  the 
Father  only"  (as  in  Mark  13:  32),  the  Pharisees  might  have 
replied,  then  the  preaching  of  John,  and  of  your  own  disciples, 
that  "the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand,"  or  "has  come  upon 
us,"  may  not  be  true:  For  if  none  can  know  when  the  king- 
dom of  God  will  come,  how  is  it  that  it  is  preached  as  come? 
But  our  Lord  guards  against  such  a  perversion  of  his  answer- 
he  meekly  and  mercifully  cut  off  all  grounds  of  cavil  by 
adding  the  clause  in  question.  First,  he  answers  them  accord- 
ing to  the  foreseen  event,  (for  their  question  had  respect  to 
the  event,)  and  then  adds  in  effect,  "but  yet,  my  doctrine,  and 
the  doctrine  of  John  is  true.  The  kingdom  of  God  has  already 
come  to  you,  and  though  it  will  fail  of  being  actually  esta- 
blished, yet  it  will  be  through  your  fault.  The  kingdom  and 
all  Its  glories  are  now  offered  to  you,  and  nothing  is  wanting 
but  a  willingness  on  your  part  to  receive  them." 

Before  we  proceed  farther  in  the  discussion,  it  may  be  satis- 


2Q  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

factory  to  those  readers  who  may  think  these  views  novel, 
lo  consider  their  bearing  upon  some  of  the  fundamental  doc- 
trines of  grace.  If  we  are  not  mistaken,  the  most  timid  need 
feel  no  alarm  upon  this  score.  But  of  this,  our  readers  must 
judge. 

1.  Our  first  remark  is  this:  the  views  which  have  been 
submitted  shew,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  entire  depravity  of 
the  human  heart  is  fundamental;  perhaps  we  should  say,  that 
the  history  of  the  Jewish  nation,  and  the  results  of  the  economy 
established  over  them,  proves  that  doctrine  as  a  fact,  beyond 
all  controversy. 

The  Jews  are  an  example  of  what  human  nature  would  do — 
being  left  to  itself — under  an  economy  of  law,  just  as  Adam 
is  a  proof  or  example  of  what  human  nature  would  do — being 
left  to  itself — in  its  uncorrupted  or  unfallen  state.  Suppose 
that  God  had  chosen  instead  of  Abraham,  the  progenitor  of 
some  Gentile  race,  and  had  given  him  the  same  institutions, 
laws,  prophets,  prophecies,  teachings,  &c. — in  short,  had  dealt, 
with  the  individual  so  selected,  and  his  posterity,  just  as  he  has 
dealt  with  the  posterity  of  Abraham — would  not  the  issue 
have  been  the  same?  Are  we  Gentiles  better  than  the  Jews? 
In  no  wise.  When,  therefore,  God  selected  Israel  and  his 
posterity  for  his  peculiar  people,  and  gave  to  them,  exclusively, 
the  law,  and  the  covenants,  the  service,  the  promises  and  the 
glory,  (Rom.  9:  4»)  upon  the  condition  of  obedience,  (Exod. 
19:  5,)  and  passed  by  all  the  rest  of  mankind,  so  that  they 
could  have  no  part  in  them,  except  by  adoption  into  the  com- 
monwealth of  Israel,  He  did  no  wrong  to  the  rest  of  the 
race  by  this  preference. — Any  other  race,  if  placed  under  the 
same  economy,  would  have  fallen  as  Israel  did.  The  Jew,  it 
is  true,  had  the  advantage,  Rom.  3:  3 — 9:  4,  5,  and  it  was 
given  for  good,  but  through  the  depravity  of  nature,  it  became 
to  him  the  occasion  of  greater  guilt  and  of  a  deeper  fall;  and 
the  abiding  chastisement  which  rests  upon  Israel,  is  what  no 
Gentile  would  covet.  God  foresaw,  indeed,  the  issue;  and 
from  the  beginning,  planned  a  dispensation  of  grace  (Gal.  3:  8) 
which  should  be  ushered  in,  when' the  dispensation  of  law  should 
be  proven  by  actual  experiment,  (so  to  speak,)  upon  a  nume- 
rous race,  to  be  ineffectual  for  the  salvation  of  those  who  were 
its  subjects.  That  nothing  which  was  consistent  with  an 
economy  of  law,  was  wanting  on  the  part  of  God,  to  make  the 
trial  perfect,  is  proved  by  Is.  5:  4,  (see  verses  1  to  7.)  Israel, 
therefore,  is,  in  one  sense,  the  representative  of  the  human  race, 
because  that  people  is  an  exhibition  by  way  of  many  examples, 
of  depraved  human  nature,  under  a  legal  economy  of  the  most 
favourable  kind. 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  21 

2.  The  views  submitted,  supply  the  reason  why  the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom  was  at  first  preached  to  the  Jews  exclusively, 
and  in  their  national  capacity  [and  thereby  also  to  the  Jewish 
people  individually,  John  1:  11,  12].  Israel  was  the  elect 
nation,  and  the  promises  were  made  to  the  nation  as  such,  and 
until  the  kingdom  and  the  blessings  of  it  were  rejected  by  the 
voluntary  act  of  the  nation,  the  very  faithfulness  of  God 
required  that  the  offer  of  it  should  be  confined  to  the  Jews. 
But  since  it  has  been  rejected,  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  is 
preached  to  the  Gentiles,  not,  however,  as  nations,  for  no 
nation  but  Israel  has  the  promise  of  God  that  he  will  establish 
his  kingdom  in  manifest  glory  over  the  whole  earth,  upon 
their  national  acceptance  of  it,  although  we  may  add,  that  if 
any  other  nation  had  succeeded  to  the  place  of  the  Jews  in  this 
respect,  the  same  depravity  of  nature,  if  left  to  itself,  would 
have  rendered  the  promise  abortive. — Hence,  the  kingdom  of 
God  came  nigh  to  the  Jews,  in  a  sense  in  which  it  has.  not 
come  nigh  to  any  other  nation — it  continued  to  be  nigh  to  the 
Jews,  even  after  the  ascension  of  our  Lord,  while  their  national 
existence  continued.  Hence,  Peter  exhorts  them  to  repent, 
and  urges  his  exhortation  by  the  motive  that  God  would,  upon 
their  national  repentance,  send  Jesus  Christ  to  them  again, 
(Acts  3:  19,  20.  See  the  original  text.)  But  when  God  dis- 
persed them  among  the  nations,  and  gave  their  city  to  their 
enemies,  they  could  no  longer  be  addressed  as  a  nation,  and 
the  kingdom  being  put,  as  it  were,  in  suspense,  will  continue 
to  be  so,  during  the  period  of  their  dispersion,  which  will  be 
commensurate  (or  nearly  so)  with  their  unbelief.  The  restora- 
tion of  Israel,  therefore,  from  their  cast-off  and  fallen  condition, 
is  an  event  fraught  with  the  most  glorious  results,  Rom.  11: 
15.  Creation  will  groan  while  Mount  Zion  is  trodden  down 
by  the  Gentiles,  and  her  children  continue  blind  and  hardened 
and  dispersed.  But  when  they  shall  be  gathered  again,  and 
shall  call  him  blessed,  whom  their  fathers  pierced  and  whom 
they  have  so  long  rejected,*  what  shall  it  be,  but  life  from  the 

*  Luke  17:  25.  "But  first  he  must  {7rci\?,a  TrctQuv)  suffer  many  things  and 
(_a.7roJo>cijuu.<r&>ivat  atto  t«c  ytvi^i  Tctt/Txc)  be  rejected  of  this  generation."  This  is 
not  perhaps  an  example  of  lu/steron-proteron.  The  (ttoxko.  Trudnv)  viany  things 
may  include  all  that  he  suffered  till  he  said  on  the  cross  "it  is  finished,"  and 
it  liiay  inchuie  his  formal  rejection  by  the  nation  in  the  person  of  their  rulers 
before  Pilate.  The  remaining  clause,  "and  be  rejected  of  this  generation," 
may  denote  the  perseverance  of  that  people  in  rejecting  him  down  to  the  day 
of  Christ's  coming.  The  word  aTrccTox,  does  not,  it  is  true,  contain  the  idea  of 
a  continued  or  repeated  action,  but  the  idea  of  continuity  is  contained  in  the 
word  (^sysif)  generation.  As  this  long  continued  rejection  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  is 
to  precede  "the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  his  day,"  it  maybe  a  standing  sign 
while  it  continues,  that  he  has  not  come;  that  is  to  say — so  long  as  the  Jewish 
race  reject  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  Son  of  Man  will  not  have  come.  And  although 
others  should  come,  performing  signs  and  wonders  so  as  to  deceive  the  elect,  if 


22  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

dead!  Creation  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  cor- 
ruption, and  the  Israel  of  God  shall  be  glorified,  being  re- 
deemed from  the  power  of  death  and  the  grave,  while  Israel, 
according  to  the  flesh,  shall  be  redeemed  from  their  captivity 
among  the  nations.  What  glorious  things  are  suspended  (if 
we  may  so  say)  upon  the  fortunes  of  God's  ancient  people! 
Is  it  possible  that  the  curse  which  has  so  long  rested  on  the 
earth  is,  in  a  certain  sense,  prolonged  by  the  unbelief  of  the 
Jews,  and  yet  the  Christian  cliurch  be  so  indifferent  to  their 
conversion!  What  a  mystery  is  involved  in  this  matter! 
The  church  is  permitted  to  lose  sight  of  the  relation  which 
the  Jews  sustain  to  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  of  the  designs  of 
God  in  respect  to  them — to  become  corrupt  in  doctrine — per- 
secutors of  the  Jews,  and  so  to  fix  them  more  obstinately,  if 
possible,  in  their  aversion  to  the  gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thus  the  church  itself,  to  become  a  means  of  pro- 
longing the  dominion  of  Satan  and  of  the  curse  over  the 
world!  Had  the  church  always  possessed  a  spirit  like  that  of 
Paul,  and  followed  the  Jews,  not  with  cruelty,  but  with  kind- 
ness, who  can  say  that  Israel  would  not  long  since  have  been 
converted  to  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  and  the  earth  have  been 
renewed  before  the  glorious  presence  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
covered  as  with  a  mantle  of  glory. 

3.  These  observations  illustrate  and  enforce  the  doctrine  of 
election.  Many  persons  admit  the  doctrine  of  the  natio?ial 
election  of  the  Jews  to  the  privileges  of  the  legal  covenant,  or 
to  that  of  being  externally  the  people  and  the  church  of  God, 
while  they  reject  the  doctrine  of  the  unconditional  election  of 
individuals  to  eternal  life,  as  being  consistent,  as  they  suppose, 
neither  with  the  goodness  nor  the  justice  of  God.  The  radical 
error  of  such  persons,  consists  in  the  inadequate  estimate 
which  they  form  of  the  blessings  included  in  the  covenant  of 
the  kingdom  which  God  made  with  Israel,  and  which  are 
briefly  mentioned  in  Exod.  19:  5,  (with  which  compare  Matth. 
21:  43.  1  Pet.  2:  9.  Rev.  1:6—5:  10 — 20:  6.)  Did  they 
entertain  right  conceptions  in  this  behalf,  they  would  perceive 
that  their  objections  apply  with  equal,  if  not  with  greater 
force  against  the  doctrine  of  the  national  election  of  Israel. 
This  covenant,  we  have  shewn,  constituted  that  people  condi- 
tionally the  saved  nation,  while  all  others  were  passed  by.  It 
constituted  them  a  nation  of  kings  and  priests — (xs/^xx/cv  rem 
charam)  the  cherished  and  precious  thing  in  the  family  of  God 
— in  fact  the  covenant  included  all  those  blessings  which  will 

it  were  possible,  yet  know  for  a  certainty  if  the  Jews  reject  Jesus,  such  won- 
der-workers are  antichrists  and  deceivers.  This  may  be  the  meaning  yf  the 
place. 


OP  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  23 

be  conferred  upon  the  church  of  the  first  born,  at  the  advent 
of  Christ  in  glory;  so  that  if  the  nation  had  been  obedient, 
they  would  have  become,  as  it  were,  the  royal  family  of  the 
whole  creation.     If  then,  such  were  the  privileges  to  which 
the  posterity  of  Jacob  was  elected,  wherein  is  this  doctrine  of 
a  national  election  more  consistent  with  the  objector's  views  of 
the  goodness  and  justice  of  God,  than  the  doctrine  of  the  per- 
sonal election  of  individuals?     The  difference  does  not  consist 
in  the  nature  of  the  blessings  to  which  the  Jews  were  elected, 
and  from  which  the  rest  of  the  race  were  excluded.     The 
feast  to  which  the  Jews  were  bidden,  (according  to  the  parable 
in   Malth.  22nd    before   referred  to)   is   the  same   which   was 
reserved   for   and   bestowed    upon   the   company   which    was 
afterwards  gathered.      Does  the  objection  consist  in   this,  that 
the  election   of  individuals   is  unconditional,  whereas  that  of 
the  nation  of  the  Jews  was  upon  the  condition  of  obedience? 
This  was  what  the  nature  of  the  case  demanded:  Would  the 
objector  have  the  experiment  repeated  in  the  case   of  every 
individual,  which  had  been  found  to  be  abortive  in  respect  to 
an  entire  race,  continued  through  many  generations  under  the 
most  favourable  circumstances?     That  would  be  to  ensure  the 
universal  fall  and  ultimate  ruin  of  the  entire  race.     Speaking 
after  the  manner  of  men,  the  national  election  of  a  portion  of 
the  race  to  the  benefits  of  the  covenant  of  law  preceded,  in  the 
order  of  expedients,  the  personal  election  of  individuals  accord- 
ing to  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  order  to  shew  the  impossi- 
bility (through  the  depravity  of  human  nature)  of  salvation  by 
works  of  law,  (Gal.  3:  21.)     The  fact  therefore  of  the  national 
election  of  the  Jews,  and  the  issue  of  the  economy  to  which 
they  were  elected,  proves  that  nothing  short  of  an  uncondi- 
tional  personal   election   of  grace   is  adequate  to   secure   the 
salvation  of  any  of  the  race;  for  it  rests  upon  the  demonstrated 
insufliciency  of  a 'conditional  election,  such  as  that  which  God 
made  of  the  natural  posterity  of  Israel.     When   the  Jewish 
nation  fell,  God  might,  if  he  had  chosen  to  do  so,  have  elected 
some  other  race  or  nation  unconditionally  to  the  benefits  of  a 
covenant  of  grace,  and  have  passed  by  all  the  rest  of  mankind, 
but  his  wisdom  and  his  goodness  chose  rather  to  throw  open  the 
door  of  salvation  to  the  people  of  all  nations  without  discrimina- 
tion,*and  accordingly  he  directed  his  apostles  to  proclaim  every- 

*  This  expression  needs  some  explanation.  The  Rev.  Mr.  M'Neile  re- 
marks, that  "God  has  divided  his  great  proceeding  with  this  world  into  four 
steps.  I.  He  took  a  nation  circumcised  in  his  name,  and  having  an  elect 
people  within  it,  saved  by  his  ;rrace.  2.  He  has  taken  a  number  of  nations 
(still  a  sma'l  number  compared  with  all  mankind)  baptized  in  his  name, 
having  an  elect  people  within  Ihem,  saved  by  grace.  Here  as  yet  he  pauses."  It 
is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  gospel  has  not  been  permanently  e.'-tablished, among 


24 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 


where  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  which  the  Jews  had  rejected; 
yet  this  proclamation,  through  the  hardness  of  men's  hearts,  is 
everywhere  attended  with  the  same  mournful  results  as  among 
the  Jews,  except  so  far  as  the  Spirit  of  God  inclines  the  hearts 
of  men  to  receive  it.  Hence,  those  who  believe,  are  called  by 
Peter  elect,  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father, 
through  sanctijication  of  the  Spirit  unto  obedie?ice,  and  sprinkling 

any  of  the  nations  !>ituated  beyond  the  limits  of  the  Roman  or  fourth  empire, 
predicted  by  Daniel — or  beyond  the  geographical  limits  of  these  nations 
which  are  represented  in  the  great  image.  We  speak  not  now  of  the  Ameri- 
cas, to  which  the  gospel  has  been  carried  by  emigration  from  ihe  fourth 
kingdom,  but  not  established  by  the  conversion  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants. 
In  fact  what  we  commonly  call  Christendom,  lies  within  the  geographical 
limits  of  the  fourth  empire,  and  this  proves  that  God  in  his  sovereign  provi- 
dence has  seen  fit  to  confer  upon  these  i'ew  nations,  lying  within  these  limits, 
the  peculiar  privileges  of  the  present  dispensation.  Here  He  has  been  making 
another  trial  of  depraved  human  nature  upon  an  election  of  Gentile  nations. 
And  what  do  we  see?  Why,  even  in  the  days  of  the  Apostles  we  discern  the 
secret  workings  of  iniquity — soon  after  their  days,  we  see  increasing  corrup- 
tions of  the  taith — the  commencement  of  a  falling  away,  and  finally,  open 
apostacy.  Hitherto,  these  Gentiles  have  proved  themselves  to  be  no  better 
than  the  Jews,  and  their  progress  is  still  downward.  The  Jews  abused  the 
privileges  of  an  economy  of  law — the  Gentiles  have  abused  the  richer  blessings 
of  an  economy  of  grace,  and  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  Jews  fell 
upon  the  mystical  stone,  and  were  broken  and  dispersed.  We  still  see  frag- 
ments of  their  nation  scattered  among  all  nations.  But  a  much  sorer  punish- 
ment awaits  those  apostate  Gentiles,  who  have  abused  the  gospel  of  grace — 
this  mystical  stone  will  fall  on  them  and  grind  them  to  powder,  Malth.  21:  41. 
This  expression  of  our  Lord  refers  perhaps  to  Dan.  2:  34,  35,  44,  (See  Gen. 
49:  24.  Micah  2:  13.  Isaiah  8:  14,  15.)  There  may  be  also  an  analogy  between 
the  ending  of  the  Jewish  and  the  present  Gentile  economy  in  another  respect. 
The  Jewish  nation  was  not  destroyed  immediately  after  it  was  given  over  to 
desolation.  The  Gentile  dispensation  was  not  substituted  for  the  Jewish  in  a 
moment.  But  while  the  mass  of  the  nation  were  permitted  to  wax  worse  and 
worse,  and  iniquity  to  abound,  an  election  or  portion  of  the  nation,  by  succes- 
sive and  wonderful  outpourings  of  the  Spirit  were  separated  from  the  cor- 
rupted mass,  and  made  the  ministers  of  salvation  to  the  Gentiles.  These  had 
extended  the  gospel  almost,  if  not  quite,  throughout  the  Roman  empire  before 
the  worship  of  the  synagogue  was  broken  up,  by  the  destruction  of  the  temple 
and  the  nation.  Near  forty  years  elapsed  between  the  day  of  Pentecost  and  the 
fall  of  the  nation.  So  it  may  be  in  the  rejection  and  destruction  of  apostate 
Gentiles  at  the  ending  of  the  economy.  A  warning  note  is  to  be  given  to 
God's  people  dwelling  in  mystical  Babylon.  "Come  out  of  her  my  people, 
that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins  and  receive  of  her  plagues."  While 
increasing  depravity  may  characterize  the  gieat  body  of  society,  great  and 
wonderful  revivals  of  religion  may  take  place.  The  church  will  probably 
becoine  missionary  again,  (perhaps  too,  persecution  may  be  permitted  in  order 
to  produce  that  change) and  the  gospel  be  published  with  rapidity  and  unusual 
success  among  the  nations  which  lie  bevond  the  limits  of  the  fourth  propheti- 
cal empire;  jusi  as  the  gospel  was  published  beyond  the  limits  of  Judea  and 
throughout  the  whole  or  nearly  the  whole  of  Christendom,  a  short  time  pre- 
viously to  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  nation:  so  that  Ihe  gospel  will  be 
literally  published  among  all  nations  for  a  witness  before  the  end  of  this 
economy,  and  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  image  shall  come.  The  present  is 
pre-eminently  the  age  of  missions,  and  in  this  view  of  the  subject,  this  fact  is 
calculated  to  excite  intense  interest  in  the  mind  of  a  believer.  Every  one  who 
loves  the  appearing  of  his  Lord,  should  do  what  he  can  to  send  this  gospel  to 
the  nations,  kindreds  and  people  among  whom  it  has  not  yet  been  published 
for  a  witness. 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  25 

of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  (1  Pet.  1:  2.)  Still  the  work 
goes  on,  God  is  able  of  the  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto 
Abraham.  The  royal  priesthood — the  holy  nation  has  long 
been  a-gathering — it  hastens  to  its  completion,  and  the  moment 
the  last  of  God's  elect  shall  be  born  and  born  again,  the  king- 
dom of  God  will  suddenly  be  revealed. 

4.  We  see  a  reason  why  Israel  will  be  preserved  as  a  dis- 
tinct people,  till  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  shall  be  fulfilled. 
In  one  sense  those  times  were  already  fulfilled  when  our  Lord 
began  to  preach,  saying:  "The  time  is  fulfilled  and  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  has  come  nigh,  Repent  ye  and  believe  in  the 
good  tidings,"  Mark  1:  15.  Daniel,  as  the  reader  knows,  had 
predicted  four  kingdoms,  which  were  to  precede  the  kingdom 
which  the  God  of  heaven  should  set  up.  The  first  three  of 
these  kingdoms,  viz.  the  Babylonian,  the  Medo-Persian  and 
the  Grecian  had  appeared  and  been  overthrown.  The  fourth 
of  these  kingdoms,  vh.  the  Roman,  had  succeeded  to  universal 
power,  and  was  in  vigorous  existence  when  John  the  Baptist 
appeared  pi-eaching  the  near  approach  of  the  fifth  kingdom, 
that,  namely,  which  the  God  of  heaven  should  set  up,  which 
should  break  in  pieces  all  its  predecessors,  but  should  itself 
stand  forever  and  never  be  destroyed,  (Dan.  2:  44.)  Had  the 
Jews  (who  are  still  the  elect  nation,  Rom.  11:  29,  26,  25,  23.) 
received  the  Lord  Messiah,  he  would  have  destroyed  this 
fourth  kingdom  and  established  his  own  on  its  ruins,  Ps.  81: 
13,  16— Ps.  2:  8.  Matth.23:37.  Luke  19:  41-44.  But  not 
to  dwell  on  this  idea,  we  proceed  to  remark  that  the  fourth  or 
the  Roman  monarchy  owes  its  continuance  during  the  last 
eighteen  centuries,  in  a  certain  sense,  to  the  unbelief  of  the 
Jews.  In  fact,  as  it  has  been  observed,  the  present  dispensa- 
tion owes  its  origin  in  the  same  sense  to  the  same  (Rom.  11: 
11,  &c.)  cause.  For  to  recur  to  the  parable  of  the  marriage 
in  Matth.  22,  if  the  first  invited  guests  (that  is  the  Jews)  had 
come  to  the  wedding,  the  occasion  for  sending  out  for  other 
guests  (which  represents  the  present  dispensation  of  the  gospel 
to  the  Gentiles)  would  not  have  arisen.  Now,  if  the  unbelief 
and  the  fall  of  the  Jews  was  necessary,  by  divine  appointment, 
to  the  opening  of  this  dispensation,  the  continuance  of  the 
same  unbelief  would  seem  equally  necessary  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  dispensation,  and  we  should  conclude,  therefore, 
that  when  their  unbelief  ceases  nationally,  this  dispensation 
would  come  to  an  end.  Whether  the  Jews  will  be  converted 
nationally  to  the  faith  of  Christ  during  their  dispersion,  or  not 
until  after  they  shall  have  been  politically  restored  to  their 
own  land,  is  a  question  upon  which  we  shall  not  now  enter, 
(See  Deut.  30:  1-5  and  Zechariah    12:    10.)     But  some  per- 

voL.  III. — 42 


26  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

sons  do  not  believe  that  they  will  be  restored.  This  is  the 
opinion  of  the  larger  part  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and 
many  Protestants  have  retained  and  still  hold  to  the  same 
opinion;  others,  who  believe  that  the  Jews  will  be  nationally 
and  politically  restored,  entertain  other  opinions,  vvliich,  upon 
examination,  it  is  believed,  will  be  found  inconsistent  with  the 
scriptures  bearing  upon  the  question.  They  imagine  that 
when  Judah  and  Israel  shall  be  restored,  they  shall  take  rank 
OS  a  sister  nation,  with  the  civilized  and  Christian  nations  of 
Europe,  and  will  exert  upon  them  and  upon  the  world  at  large 
a  powerful  religious  influence.  This  is  deemed  a  rational  and 
sober  minded  view  of  the  subject.  But  is  it  scriptural? 
Paul  says  in  1  Thess.  2:16,  "wrath  is  come  upon  them  (s/c 
TEAoc)  1.0  the  Old'' — to  the  end  of  what?  we  say  of  this  dispensa- 
tion. Our  Lord  said,  (See  Luke  21 :  24)  Jerusalem  shall  be 
trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  till  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  shall 
be  fulfilled.  The  providence  of  God  has  interpreted,  in  a  way 
that  cannot  be  misunderstood,  what  we  are  to  understand  by 
the  treading  dozen  of  Jerusalem.  By  Gentiles  (dvw)  we  are  to 
understand  Romans,  Saracens,  Crusaders,  Mamelukes,  Turks. 
Whether  Jerusalem  is  yet  to  pass  under  another  Gentile 
domination  we  know  not,  but  the  common  belief  of  those  who 
expect  an  actual  restoration  of  the  Jews  is,  that  when  the 
Turkish  power  shall  be  dried  up,  the  Jews  will  resume  their 
possession  of  the  land  which  God  gave  to  their  fathers.  But 
however  this  may  be,  the  scriptures  teach  that  when  the 
dispersed  of  Judah  shall  be  collected,  and  the  outcast  Israel  shall 
return,  and  both  in  union  emerge  into  a  political  power,  they 
will  become  again  a  divineli/  co?istituted  hierarchy  or  theocracy, 
such  as  they  always  were,  after  their  exodus  from  Egypt  till 
their  captivity  and  dispersion — and  not  a  mere  body  jjolitic, 
having  a  constitution  of  human  invention, — (See  Ezek.  the 
last  ten  chapters.)  Then  also,  the  times  of  the  fourth  monar- 
chy (which  in  one  sense  were  long  since  fulfilled)  will  cease. 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  then  come  again  and  fulfil  upon 
the  nations  all  that  is  written  in  Ps.  2:  8,  9.  This  will 
mark  the  commencement  of  a  new  economy — that  of  the 
glorious  reign  of  Messiah,  or  of  the  kingdom  of  God  come  on 
earth. 

The  scriptural  expectations  of  tlie  church,  therefore,  are  not 
that  all  Israel  will  be  gathered  into  the  Gentile  church  (as  it  is 
called)  during  the  present  economy;  for  could  that  result  be 
attained  consistently  with  what  the  scriptures  teach,  this 
economy  would  be  brought  to  an  end  by  that  very  event,  and 
a  new  and  more  glorious  economy  would  immediatel}'  begin. 
The  last  discourse,  which   our  Lord  delivered   in   the  tenrrple, 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  27 

he  concluded  by  saying,  "ye  shall  not  see  me  henceforth  till 
ye  say  blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
This  declaration  intimates  that  the  Lord's  advent  shall  occur 
immediately  upon  the  national  conversion  of  the  Jews.  (See 
Matth.  23:  39,  and  also  Acts  3:  19,  20  in  the  original.)  Still 
the  duty  of  Christians  is,  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  Jews  and 
urge  it  upon  them,  by  all  the  motives  which  the  scriptures 
and  their  condition  and  prospects  furnish;*  so  that  if  possible 
they  may  save  some  of  them.  This  was  what  Paul  did;  for 
although  he,  as  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  might  perhaps  be 
expected  and  allowed  to  confine  his  ministry  to  the  Gentiles, 
yet  he  desired  to  honour  his  office,  by  extending  his  ministry 
to  the  Jews,  if  by  possibility  he  might  with  the  blessing  of  God 
save  some  of  them.  Yet  Paul  was  not  ignorant  that  blindness 
in  part  had  liappened  to  Israel,  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles 
should  be  fulfilled,  and  iheti  (not  before)  all  Israel  should  be 
saved,  Rom.  11:  13,  25,  2G.  There  is  nothing  peculiarly 
discouraging  in  this;  for  there  is  the  same  ground  of  hope 
during  this  economy  of  saving  some  of  the  Jews,  as  of  saving 
some  of  the  Gentiles.  Not  all  among  the  Gentiles  to  whom 
the  gospel  is  preached,  believe.  On  the  contrary,  multitudes 
reject  it,  while  here  and  there,  one  and  another,  but  at  most  a 
few,  yield  unto  Christ  the  obedience  of  faith;  and  experience 
shews  us  that  thus  much  may  be  expected  from  preaching  the 
Gospel  among  the  Jews;  and  why  should  a  Christian  minister 
be  disiieartened,  if  he  has  the  same  hope  of  success  among 
Jews  as  Gentiles?  If  lie  has  any  right  views  of  the  human 
character,  he  depends  not  on  himself  but  on  the  Spirit's 
influences,  and  peradventure  God  may  give  him  even  greater 
success  with  Jews  than  with  Gentiles;  for  although  blinded 
and  broken  off  from  their  own  olive  tree,  they  are  still  beloved 
for  their  father's  sake.      Yet  if  such  should  not  be  the  result, 

*  Some  persons  object  to  this  doctrine  of  the  political  restoratioti  of  the 
Jews,  that  it  encourages  them  in  their  unbelief  and  rejection  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ;  but  this  objection  is  founded  upon  a  misconception  of  the  doctrine. 
We  can  no  more  assure  the  Jew,  that  he  will  live  till  the  time  when  God  will 
restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel,  and  so  be  restored  to  Judea,  than  we  can  assure 
a  Christian  that  he  will  live  till  the  day  of  the  Lord's  personal  advent  in 
glory,  and  so  escape  death.  The  times  and  the  seasons  of  these  events, 
though  the  same,  are  not  revealed.  But  our  doctrine  is,  that  if  the  Jew  should 
die  before  that  time,  without  faith  in  Christ,  he  will  die  without  any  well 
founded  hope  of  happiness  in  his  future  state.  And  even  if  he  should  survive 
till  the  time  of  his  nation's  restoration,  still  he  may  never  reach  the  land  of 
his  forefathers.  Like  tho.se  who  left  Egypt,  he  may  in  his  return  fall  by  the_ 
way  and  perish  without  hope — and  theiii  again,  what  is  the  inheritance  of 
earthly  blessings — such  even  as  in  the  renewed  earth  will  be  enjoyed  by 
restored  Israel,  when  compared  with  the  glory  of  the  inheritance  of  believers 
in  Jesus'? 


28  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

his  duty  is  done,  vviiile  the  event  is  left,  as  it  should  be,  to  the 
disposal  of  God. 

5.  Tliese  views  should  teach  us  to  be  humble  and  tender 
hearted  to  the  Jews.  There  is  a  thought  connected  with  a 
passage  just  now  cited  (Rom.  11:  25),  which  deserves  to  be 
mentioned,  "I  would  not  have  you  ignorant,  brethren,  of  this 
mystery,  lest  ye  should  he  zcise  in  your  on-?i  cojiceits.'''  What  is  the 
mystery  to  which  Paul  refers?  It  cannot  be  the  future  con- 
version of  the  Jews,  for  that  had  been  foretold  in  many  places. 
That  was  no  secret  or  mystery.  Besides,  the  motive  or  reason 
which  Paul  had  for  communicating  the  secret,  was  to  prevent 
the  Gentiles  from  being  wise  ifi  their  own  conceits.  But  the 
future  conversion  of  all  Israel  would  be  no  cause  for  humilia- 
tion to  the  Gentiles,  rather  of  joy.  It  would  be  as  life  from 
the  dead  to  the  world.  What  then  was  the  secret  or  mystery? 
Why,  that  which  he  had  just  hinted  at  in  the  former  verses, 
under  the  image  of  breaking  ofi^  branches.  The  Jews  had 
suflfered  this,  and  would  continue  in  a  state  of  separation  from 
their  own  olive  tree,  until  the  fulness  of  the  (times  of  the) 
Gentiles  should  coine  in  (i.  e.  elapse),  and  then  all  Israel  would 
be  (reingrafted  into  their  own  olive  tree,  that  is)  saved.  Paul 
hinted  to  the  Gentiles  that  they  too  would  at  some  future  time 
be  broken  off.  He  alludes  more  directly  to  the  same  mystery 
afterwards,  (in  verses  30,  32)  where  he  asserts  the  alternate 
vocation  and  reprobation  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  showing  that 
the  one  or  the  other  must  be  (and  each  in  turn)  a  striking 
example  of  God's  mercy  and  justice.  The  infidelity  of  Israel 
gave  occasion  to  their  reprobation  and  the  vocation  of  the 
Gentiles,  and  the  ingratitude  and  infidelity  of  the  Gentiles, 
will  in  like  manner  give  occasion  to  their  reprobation,  and  to 
the  return  of  Israel  and  the  restoration  of  God's  favour  to 
them.* 

Thus  God  will  shut  up  all  in  unbelief,  in  order  to  shew, 
that  none  can  be  saved  but  by  his  merc}^  But  there  is  this 
difference  to  be  observed,  when  the  Jews  were  cut  off  from  the 
mysterious  olive  tree,  in  punishment  for  their  rejection  of 
Christ  and  his  kingdom,  the  justice  of  God  did  not  consign 
them  merely  to  darkness  of  mind  and  hardness  of  heart,  but  it 
showered  upon  them  floods  of  temporal  evils  of  all  sorts.     Yet 

*  Verse  31  in  the  authorized  English  version,  is  not  well  rendered.  There 
is  no  authority  for  the  transposition  of  tvn  as  is  done  in  our  translation. 
The  true  sense  is  fixed  by  the  collocation  of  this  word,  and  it  has  been  trans- 
posed only  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the  theory,  that  the  Jews  are  to  be 
converted  by  means  of  the  Gentiles,  which  is  in  opposition  to  the  whole  current 
of  prophecy.  In  the  Vulgate,  the  proper  order  of  the  words  is  preserved. 
Also  in  the  versions  of  Fabricius,  of  Montanus  and  of  Erasmus.  On  the 
other  hand,  Beza  tran.sposes  this  word  as  the  translators  of  the  English  version, 
have  done. 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  29 

God  did  not  allow  these  judgments  either  to  consume  or  to 
destroy  them,  because  he  has  designs  of  mercy  toward  them, 
which  at  the  appointed  time  he  will  execute.  On  the  other 
hand,  apostate  Gentiles  have  only  to  expect  an  irrevocable 
reprobation,  Paul  gives  no  intimation  that  the  graffs  of  the 
wild  olive,  if  they  shall  be  broken  off,  shall  ever  be  graffed  in 
again,  Rom.  11:  21,  24;  and  the  prophet  Malachi  foretells  that 
the  day  of  the  Lord  shall  burn  the  proud  and  them  that  do 
wickedly — that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch. 
Mai.  4:  1.   Jer.  30:  11,  20,  24. 

An  old  author,  who  lived  in  a  very  dark  and  corrupt  age 
of  the  Christian  church,  makes  the  following  beautiful  and 
touching  paraphrase  upon  Rom.  11:  17 — 21.  "Oh,  Gentile,  if 
thou  seest  some  of  the  Jews  living  estranged  from  the  grace 
of  Christ  and  from  the  faith  of  the  patriarchs,  and  thyself  in 
their  place,  and  made  a  partaker  of  the  faith  of  the  fathers  and 
of  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  do  not  despise 
them,  nor  extol  thyself,  lest  peradventure  thou  lose  the  grace 
that  has  been  given  thee  freely.  But  if  thou  gloriest  against 
them,  who  are  fallen,  be  admonished,  that  thou  dost  not  sustain 
the  root,  but  the  root  sustains  thee."  As  if  he  had  said,  "If 
thou  hast  a  mind  to  extol  thyself,  listen  to  that  which  should 
make  thee  humble;  thou  dost  not  sustain  the  root,  that  is,  thou 
dost  confer  nothing  upon  the  holy  fathers,  who  lived  before 
thee,  because  thou  art  saved  by  their  faith,  for  thou  hast 
received  from  them;  they  have  not  received  from  thee.  Or 
this  may  be  the  sense,  thou  dost  not  bear  the  root,  that  is 
Christ,  to  whom  thou  hast  given  nothing  of  ihine  own,  but  he 
bears  thee,  from  whom  thou  hast  received  all  the  good  thou 
dost  possess." 

Vs.  19,  20,  But  thou  wilt  tell  me,  0  Gentile,  the  branches, 
namely,  the  unbelieving  Jews  were  broken  off  and  cast  away, 
in  order  that  I,  a  Gentile,  might  be  engrafted  in  their  place. 
Thou  sayest  rightly.  It  is  so— but  consider  the  rest:  the 
branches  were  broken  off  on  account  of  their  unbelief.  Be- 
cause the  Jews  would  not  believe  in  Christ,  they  are  fallen 
into  the  death  of  condemnation — they  are  broken  off  from  the 
favour  of  God,  but  thou  standest  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  riot  by 
thy  own  merits,  therefore,  do  not  glory,  be  not  high-minded, 
be  not  proud,  but  fear,  lest  thou  shouldst  fall.  It  is  of  God's 
grace  thou  art  called,  not  of  thy  own  merits. 

Vs.  21,  0  Gentile,  consider  that  if  God  did  not  spare  the 
Jews,  who  descended  from  the  holy  fathers,  and  in  whose 
race  he  took  flesh, ^uch  more  will  he  not  spare  thee;  if  thou, 
who  art  of  the  wild  olive,  shall  depart  from  the  faith,  or  shall 
become  proud  and  extol  thyself  by  despising  the  Jew. 
42* 


30 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 


Does  the  reader  envy  restored  Israel  the  glory  of  the 
unfulfilled  prophecies?  Let  him  consider  again  the  purpose 
for  which  Israel  was  elected.  It  w^as,  that  God  might  through 
them  make  manifest  to  the  world,  that  no  privileges  however 
great,  no  grace  or  favour  however  ample,  consistent  with  an 
economy  of  mere  law;  no  promises,  no  motives  however  glori- 
ous, are  adequate  to  the  wants  of  our  fallen  natures.  To  he 
made  the  medium  of  teaching  such  a  lesson  lo  the  universe,  is 
an  awful  distinction.  The  object  required  the  bestowment  of 
gifts  the  most  precious,  and  the  promise  of  the  kingdom  of 
glory  as  the  reward  of  obedience.  Paul  enumerates  the  chief 
of  their  advantages — the  adoption,  the  glor}',  the  covenants, 
the  giving  of  the  law,  the  service,  the  promises,  and  add  to 
these  the  honour  which  Christ  conferred  on  their  nation,  by 
taking  upon  him  the  seed  of  Abraham  and  of  David,  when  he 
came  to  them  as  their  kinsman,  their  brothei-,  their  king. 
All  these  great  and  glorious  advantages  must  be  conferred, 
while  the  just  and  holy  purposes  of  God  required  that  the 
nation  should  be  left  to  the  freedom  of  their  will,  in  order  that 
by  the  rejection  of  them,  which  was  both  foreknown  and  fore- 
told, they  might  shew  how  powerless  they  were  as  motives 
upon  depraved  human  nature,  although  they  would  thereby 
dravv  down  upon  themselves  and  their  posterity  the  wrath  of 
Almighty  God.  Look  back  upon  their  history — survey  their 
present  condition:  was  ever  a  nation  dealt  with  as  Israel  hath 
been,  both  in  mercy  and  judgment?  They  are  witnesses  for 
God  of  the  corruption  of  the  human  heart — of  his  indignation 
against  sin — of  his  faithfulness  in  preserving  while  he  punishes 
them — and  they  will  hereafter  be  witnesses  for  him  that  his 
gifts  and  calling  are  without  repentance. 

Does  the  reader  still  envy  the  Jews  their  future  pre-emi- 
nence among  the  nations?  and  does  he  call  it  Judaizing  to 
interpret  literally  the  prophecies  which  predict  their  pre-emi- 
nence? Let  him  attend  to  that  which  infinitely  more  concerns 
him, — the  higher  glories  of  his  own  vocation.  God  is  now 
gathering  a  church  out  of  all  nations,  upon  whom  he  will 
bestow  the  higher  glories  of  the  kingdom  which  Israel  re- 
jected. This  church,  when  it  shall  be  completed,  will  be  a 
glorious  body,  sons  of  the  resurrection,  sons  of  God,  sharers 
of  Messiah's  throne,  the  ministers  of  his  high  behests,  through- 
out all  worlds.  Their  bodies  will  not  be  earthly  tabernacles, 
like  those  of  the  dwellers  upon  earth,  even  in  its  renewed 
state — but  they  will  be  spiritual,  glorious,  powerful,  inde- 
structible bodies,  yea,  conformed  to  the  b(jdy  of  the  glory  of 
Christ.  They  shall  be  the  heirs  of  all  things,  and  be  forever 
with  the  Lord:    Can  hewho  hopes  to  inherit  such  glories,  ertvy 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  3^ 

restored  Israel  the  pre-eminence  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  even  in  its  renewed  condition?  No,  rather  let  the 
sun  envy  the  glory  of  the  stars.  No  saint,  when  he  shall  be 
made  lilie  his  Lord,  and  be  associated  with  him  in  the  govern- 
ment of  his  kingdom,  will  ever  covet  the  glory  and  blessedness 
of  restored  Israel  in  the  habitable  earth  to  come,  {iiy.ouy.im  tkv 

But  as  to  those  who  have  no  part  in  Christ  now,  why  should 
they  envy  Israel's  pre-eminence  in  the  coming  dispensation? 
Had  the  world  of  the  ungodly  before  the  flood,  and  who 
perished  by  it,  anything  to  do  with  the  distinctions  which  God 
saw  fit  to  make  among  the  sons  of  Noah,  and  the  nations  which 
have  sprung  from  them?  During  this  present  dispensation,  all 
to  whom  the  Gospel  of  the  kingdom  is  preached,  are  invited 
to  share  in  higher  glories  than  any  which  Israel  will  possess 
in  the  renewed  earth.  If  they  reject  the  invitation  as  Israel 
did,  when  made  by  the  lips  of  the  Lord  Messiah  himself,  they 
cannot  expect  or  hope  for  any  earthly  restoration,  like  that 
which  remains  to  a  remnant  of  Israel  according  to  the  flesh. 
If  they  shall  die  before  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  they  will  have 
no  part  in  the  first  resurrection.  If  they  should  survive  until 
the  day  of  the  Lord's  appearing,  what  can  they  hope  for  or 
expect  but  everlasting  destruction  from  his  presence,  and  the 
glory  of  his  power,  when  he  shall  be  revealed  with  his  mighty 
angels  in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  upon  those  who  obey 
not  this  gospel.      (1  Thess.  1 :  S,  9.   Luke  19:  27.) 

Several  topics  remain,  which  must  be  reserved  for  a  future 
occasion. 


ESSAY  III. 


'^The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observation.'"' 

It  is  the  common  opinion  of  Christians  at  the  present  day, 
that  the  existing  dispensation  is  the  final  one — that  is,  it  will 
not  (as  it  is  supposed)  end,  until  the  earth  shall  be  destroyed 
and  the  eternal  state  begins.  Hence,  it  is  inferred  that  if  (as 
it  is  admitted)  the  kingdom  of  God,  here  inquired  of,  is  a 
kingdom  on  earth,  and  in  time,  it  must  be  the  present  gospel 
dispensation.     This  opinion,  it  is  contended,  is  according  to 


32  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

the  analogy  of  faitli,  "The  wind  bloweth,"  said  our  Lord  to 
Nicodemus,  "where  it  listeth,  and  thou  heare'st  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh  and  whither  it 
goeth:  So  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit,"  John  3:  8. 

It  is  another  common  opinion  of  Christians,  that  when  this 
dispensation  shall  end,  Christ  will  appear  and  a  resurrection 
will  take  place.  But  at  this  point  arises  a  difference:  the 
larger  part  adopt  the  opinion,  that  all  the  dead,  both  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked,  will  at  that  time  be  raised  together, 
or  nearly  so,  and  after  having  been  judged  will  enter  imme- 
diately upon  their  eternal  state.  The  righteous  will  ascend 
with  Christ  into  heaven,  while  the  wicked  will  be  cast  into 
hell,  and  this  done,  the  earth  itself  will  be  destroyed.  Others, 
however,  adopt  the  opinion  that  at  the  advent,  only  the  dead 
in  Christ  will  be  raised,  and  the  living  saints  being  changed, 
and  united  to  them,  will  compose  and  complete  the  mystical 
body  of  Christ  or  the  church  of  the  first  born.  This  event, 
they  believe,  will  be  the  epocli  of  the  establishment  of  a  new 
and  glorious  economy  on  earth  called  "the  kingdom  of  God," 
or  "the  kingdom  of  heaven."  It  was  shewn  in  a  former 
essay,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  in  this  sense,  coming  at  the 
close  of  this  dispensation,  and  as  the  development  of  it,  would 
come  7iol  zvith  observation,  though  the  precise  meaning  of  the 
clause  in  wliich  these  words  occur  was  not  investigated.  Our 
object  then,  was  rather  to  shew  how  the  two  vievvs  of  the 
kingdom  could  be  reconciled  with  what  is  here  affirmed  of  the 
kingdom,  than  to  enter  into  an  inquiry  about  the  nature  of  the 
kingdom  itself.  Before  the  inquiry  concerning  the  nature  of 
the  kingdom  can  he  made  w\{\\  advantage,  it  is  necessary  to 
examine  the  foundations  of  the  opinion  just  mentioned:  viz. 
that  this  dispensation  is  the  last  which  God  designs  to  esta- 
blish on  earth.  What  we  propose,  therefore,  in  the  present 
essay,  is  to  produce  some  proofs  from  scripture  that  the  most 
glorious  of  all  the  economies  which  God  has  appointed  to  take 
place  upon  earth,  is  yet  to  come. 

The  reader  will  doubtless  concede,  without  argument,  that 
when  our  Lord  began  to  preach,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  had, 
in  some  f-ense,  come  nigii  to  the  Jewish  nation.  The  proof  is 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  said  so.  See  Matth.  4:  17.  Mark 
1:  14,  15.  Luke  11:  20.  Matth.  12:  28.  This  was  said  pub- 
licly to  the  people,  and  upon  many  occasions,  during  our 
Lord's  ministry.  At  a  much  later  period,  perhaps  we  may 
say,  quite  at  the  close  of  his  public  ministry,  he  told  his  dis- 
ciples, in  effect,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  not  nigh,  because 
he  told  them  it  would  be  nigh  only  after  certain  things 
occurred  which  he  predicted  should  come  to  pass.     The  pas- 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  33 

sage  we  refer  to,  is  in  Luke  21:  31.  But  how  could  it  be, 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  had  come  nigh  to  the  nation,  at  the 
beginning  of  our  Lord's  ministry,  and  wa%  not  nigh  at  a  sub- 
sequent period  or  at  the  close  of  it?  If  the  present  dispensa- 
tion of  the  gospel  be,  the  kingdom  of  God  referred  to, — its 
commencement  was  scarce  two  months  later  than  the  delivery 
of  the  prophecy  on  the  Mount,  in  which  the  place  just  cited 
occurs,  whereas  there  was  an  interval  (as  is  commonly  sup- 
posed) of  near  three  years  and  a  half,  between  the  beginning  of 
our  Lord's  ministry  and  the  day  of  Pentecost,  on  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  first  given,  and  the  present  dispensation 
opened.  But  if  the  kingdom  of  God  which  our  Lord  began 
to  preach  was  afterwards  taken  from  the  nation,  (and  he  said  it 
should  be  in  Matth.  21:  43)  as  was  explained  in  a  former  essay, 
then  we  can  understand  how  the  kingdom  of  God  might  be  nigh, 
at  the  beginning  of  his  ministry,  (before  the  nation  had  been 
tried  whether  they  would  accept  it)  a7ul  not  nigh  at  the  close 
of  it,  when  the  nation  had  virtually  rejected  it.  But  not  to 
dwell  on  this  topic,  let  us  examine  with  some  particularity  the 
passage  (in  Luke  21:  31)  just  referred  to.  The  passage  runs 
thus,  "So  likewise,  ye  when  ye  see  these  things  come  to  pass, 
know  ye  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  nigh  [iyyv^ io-tiv)  at  hand." 
What  were  those  things?  Will  the  reader  turn  to  the  context 
of  the  passage  and  from  it  enumerate  them  in  their  order? 
Beginning  at  verse  9th,  he  will  find,  that  nation  was  to  arise 
against  nation — ver.  10,  there  were  to  be  earthquakes,  famines, 
pestilences,  fearful  sights;  (11)  the  disciples  were  to  be  perse- 
cuted, apprehended,  imprisoned,  and  brought  before  kings: 
(12)  Let  us  pause  here  a  moment  and  inquire  if  any  of  these 
things  occurred  in  the  short  interval  between  the  delivery  of 
this  prophecy  and  the  day  of  Pentecost;  when  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  first  given.  Nobody  pretends  that  they  did,  and  yet 
these  things  were  to  come  to  pass  before  the  kingdom  of  God 
would  be  nigh.  The  next  event  foretold,  was  the  siege  of 
Jerusalem,  (ver.  20.)  This  event  did  not  occur  till  A.  D.  70, 
which  was  about  thirty-six  or  thirty-seven  years  after  the 
prophecy  was  uttered.  In  ver.  24  we  read  of  the  captivity 
and  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  and  the  subjugation  of  their  city, 
to  Gentile  power,  during  the  times  of  the  Gentiles.*     The  bur- 

*  Dr.  Bloomfield  cites  two  opinions  upon  the  expression  in  ver.  21,  of  "the 
times  of  the  Gentiles" — that  of  Rosenmuller.  which  is  "even  until  the  end  of 
human  things,  when  nations  shall  no  longer  exist,"  and  that  of  Kuinoel, '-until 
the  time  when  they  themselves  (the  nations)  shall  suffer  the  punishment  of 
their  impiety  and  vice,"  which  latter  opinion  Dr.  B.  prefers.  Yet  when  he 
comes  to  verse  28,  he  understands  the  words  (a^oAuTgao-zc  t/zav)  "your  redemp- 
tion," to  mean  redeviption  from  the  Jewish  persecution,  because  (as  he  says) 
after  the  suppression  of  the  Synedrium,  the  gospel  was  far  more  extensively 
propagated.    He  admits  that  the  apostles,  except  John,  did  not  live  to  see  this 


34  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

then  of  this  verse  is  not  yet  wholly  fulfilled,  although  nearly 
eighteen  centuries  have  elapsed  since  it  began  to  be  fulfilled. 
The  prophecy  prorffeeds,  "and  there  shall  be  signs  in  the  sun, 
and  in  the  moon,  and  in  the  stars,  and  upon  the  earth  distress 
of  nations  with  perplexity;  and  the  crowning  event  of  all,  is 
the-  appearance  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  heaven,  coming  in  a  cloud 
with  power  and  great  glory.  At  this  verse  the  prophecy  pro- 
perly terminates,  and  these  are  the  things  which  must  come  to 
pass,  before  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 

li  it  should  he  said,  that  by  these  things  we  must  understand 
some  of  these  things,  the  answer  is,  that  would  be  adding  to 
the  scripture,  not  expounding  it;  besides,  it  would  not  remove 
the  difficulty,  because  we  have  no  evidence  that  a/??/  of  these 
things  came  to  pass  before  the  commencement  of  the  present 
dispensation.     If  it  should  be  said  (as  it  sometimes  is)  that  all 

utter  destruction  of  the  Jewish  government.  The  expression  in  ver.  31,  "the 
kingdom  of  God  is  nigh,"  he  says,  means  the  general  spread  of  the  gospel, 
which  took  place  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  On  Matth.  24:  33,  he 
says,  "this  must  be  understood  of  the  event  before  spoken:  viz.  the  coming  of 
the  JVlessiah  to  judge  the  Jews  and  establish  his  kingdom." 

The  word  (a^oALiT,)  translated  redemption.,  occurs  in  Rom.  8:  23,  and  Eph. 
4:  30,  where  it  undoubtedly  refers  to  the  resurrection.  It  is  true,  that  in  Heb. 
11:  35,  it  signifies  deliverance  from  the  danger  of  death,  but  this  is  not  its 
proper  signification;  and  when  we  recollect  that  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
did  not  occur  till  the  year  A.  D.  70,  and  that  two  pagan  persecutions  occurred 
very  shortly  afterwards,  even  before  the  close  of  ihe  first  century:  viz.  one 
under  Domitian,  and  another  under  Trajan,  we  can  hardly  believe  that 
"redemption  from  persecution,"  cither  by  Jews  or  Pagans  was  intended. 
Why  should  they  be  exhorted  to  rejoice  in  the  prospect  of  an  exchange  of  per- 
secutors? Under  Adrian  in  the  beginning  of  the  2nd  century,  (A.  D.  118) 
another  persecution  occurred,  and  others  followed  at  short  intervals,  to  the 
number,  in  all,  of  ten,  before  the  year  A.  D.  303— Nor  is  it  a  fact  that  the  most 
remarkable  spread  of  the  gospel,  occurred  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
It  was  published  throughout  the  Roman  empire,  and  even  beyond  it,  by  the 
immediate  apostles  of  the  Lord.  It  would  be  strange  indeed,  that  the  imme- 
diate successors  of  the  apostles,  with  fewer  gifts,  should  be  more  successful 
propagators  of  the  gospel,  Rom.  15:  19.  Gal.  1:  17,  21.  James  1:  1.  1  Pet.  1:  1. 
2  Cor.  11:  26.  The  treading  down  of  Jerusalem,  Dr.  B.  admits,  will  continue 
until  the  time  when  they  themselves  will  sufi'er  the  punishment  of  their 
impiety  and  vice,"  and  this  we  believe  will  be,  when  the  time  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  nations  represented  in  the  great  image  (Dan.  2)  shall  have  come; 
and  this,  says  our  Lord,  is  one  of  the  things  which  shall  come  to  pass  before 
the  kingdom  of  God,  spoken  of  in  Luke  21:  31,  shall  come.  Dr.  Bloomfield 
does  not  notice  the  expression,  "So  when  ye  see  these  things  come  to  pass." 
Nor  does  he  explain  how  the  day  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  came  as  a 
snare  upon  alt  them  that  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth.  Even  Dr. 
Campbell  admits,  that  "earth"  does  not  mean  in  this  place  Judea,  (see  his  note 
on  ver.  26,  where  the  word  also  occurs.)  The  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  and 
the  coming  of  the  kingdom  God  refer  to  the  same  event,  and  both  were  to 
come  as  a  snare  upon  all  thrm  that  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 
The  /all  or  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  did  not  come  as  a  snare  on  the  Romans, 
and  the  other  nations  which  they  had  conquered,  though  it  might  have  come 
as  a  snare  on  the  Jews  who  were  in  Jerusalem.  But  as  more  than  this  is  said, 
the  interpretation  which  limits  this  prophecy  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
cannot  be  true. 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  35 

these  predictions  relate  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the 
difficulty  remains,  for  certainly  the  present  dispensation  com- 
menced long  before  that  event.  Not  only  had  the  gospel  been 
promulgated  throughout  the  Roman  empire,  but  almost  the 
whole  of  the  New  Testament  was  written  before  that  event, 
and  several  of  the  apostles,  among  whom  were  James,  Peter 
and  Paul  had  suflfered  martyrdom.  If  it  be  said  that  (ver.  32 
proves)  these  things  must  have  been  fulfilled  within  the  life 
time  of  the  men  then  living,  the  answer  is,  that  this  verse 
must  be  interpreted  so  as  to  be  consistent  with  the  facts  of  the 
case.  The  facts  are,  that  Jerusalem  is  still  trodden  down  by 
the  Gentiles — the  times  of  the  Gentiles  are  not  yet  fulfilled, 
and  the  Son  of  Man  has  not  yet  appeared  in  a  cloud  with 
power  and  great  glory.  Besides,  the  word  translated  generalion, 
signifies  race  in  this  place,  as  may  be  easily  proved,  and  it 
was  so  understood  by  Jerome,  who  must  be  allowed  to  be  a 
competent  judge  of  the  meaning  of  the  Latin  word  ge?ieratio. 

Waving,  however,  this  question,  we  proceed  to  remark,  that 
those  who  explain  the  advent  of  "the  Son  of  Man  in  a  cloud 
with  power  and  great  glory,"  so  as  to  signify  his  providential 
coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  do  not  make  it  sufficiently  early 
to  support  their  own  theory.  This  has  been  said  already. 
They  must,  therefore,  to  be  consistent,  interpret  this  advent 
of  the  Son  of  Man,  to  signify  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  which  did  indeed  occur  at  the  com- 
mencement of  this  dispensation.*     But  such  an  interpretation 

*  "This  spiritual  kingdom  had  its  commencement,  after  our  Lord's  resur- 
rection and  ascension,  when  he  sent  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  propagated  the 
gospel  by  miracles  throughout  the  world,  (Rosenm.)  Whilby,  and  Kuinoel 
and  Wetstein  on  the  other  hand  more  accurately,  I  think,  understand  the 
words  of  Chri^l's  Jird  advent,  after  forty  years  to  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish 
nation,  &c.  and,  therefore,  not  only  St.  John,  but  many  standing  there  might 
see  it.''  Bloomfield,  Rcccns.  Synopt.  on  Manh.  IG-.'iF,.  We  believe  that  these 
opinions  are  quite  incorrect.  Matth.  14:  28  refers,  as  we  suppose,  to  the 
transfiguration:  But  that  it  cannot  refer  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  is 
evident  from  2  Thess.  2.  This  epistle  was  written  about  eighteen  years 
before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  The  Thessalonian  Christians  were 
expecting  daily  an  advent  of  the  Lord,  such  as  may  be  properly  described  by 
the  words  (t»  i-^ip-Avaa  Tm  vcigovo-i-M  awrov)  the  brightness  of  his  coming,  which 
words  import  the  splendour  and  glory  of  his  personal  appearance.  Dr.  B. 
admits  that  these  words  are  especially  suitable  to  the  final  advent  of  Christ  to 
judgment.  Certainly,  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  the  Thessalonian  church 
was  absorbed  in  the  manner  here  described,  with  the  expectation  of  the  sup- 
posed advent  of  Christ  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  which  was  many  miles 
distant  from  them.  If  it  be  conceded  then,  that  ihe  Thessalonian  church  was 
at  that  early  day  expecting  the  personal  advent  of  Ciirist  to  judgment,  and  if  it 
be  conceded  that  Paul  had  reference  to  the  same  event,  we  cannot  admit  the 
supposition,  that  the  Jewish  Christian  churches  (lo  whom  he  refers  in  1  Thess. 
2:  14,  15),  were  expecting  as  the  next  advent,  the  figurative  or  providential 
coming  of  Christ  to  destroy  Jerusalem.  No  doubt  there  was  a  unity  of  belief 
and  expectation  upon  this  subject  among  the  apostles,  and  consequently  the 
like  unity  among  their  converts.    Yet  Paul  makes  no  allusion  to  any  such 


35  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

would  be  inconsistent  with  the  doctrine  of  the  personality  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  for  it  maintains,  that  the  advent  of  the  Spirit, 
is  the  advent  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  a  cloud  with  power  and 
great  glory,  and  such  a  notion,  is  also  utterly  repugnant  to 
John  16:  7 — Our  Lord,  it  is  there  said,  told  his  disciples,  that 
if  he  went  not  away,  the  Comforter  would  not  come  to  them, 
but  if  he  went  away,  he  would  send  the  Comforter  unto  them, 
— that  is  to  say,  his  departure  and  absence  were  indispensable 
to  the  advent  and  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Why  then,  it 
may  be  asked,  may  we  not  believe  the  advent,  here  spoken  of, 
to  be  yet  future,  and  if  future,  as  it  is  one  of  the  things  which 
must  come  to  pass  before  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
it  would  follow  that  the  kingdom  of  God  here  spoken  of,  is 
yet  future. 

If  this  ])oint  should  be  yielded,  but  it  should  be  maintained 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  here  spoken  of,  is  not  on  earth,  nor 
in  time,  but  the  commencement  of  the  eternal  state;  our  next 
proof  shall  be  taken  from  the  7th  chapter  of  the  book  of 
Daniel.  In  this  chapter  the  prophet  foretells  the  rise  and  fall  of 
four  successive  kingdoms  under  the  symbols  of  four  beasts.  The 
vision  was  at  first  briefly  interpreted  to  the  prophet  (in  verses 
17,  18)  as  follows:  "These  great  beasts,  which  are  four,  are 
four  kings  (i.  e.  kingdoms)  which  shall  arise  out  of  the  earth,  but 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take  the  kingdom  and  possess 
the  kingdom  forever,  even  forever  and  ever."  It  was  the 
fourth  beast,  however,  which  chiefly  amazed  the  prophet  (ver. 
15  and  28)  and  about  this  he   particularly   inquired,  (ver.  19 

advent  as  these  writers  suppose.  Yet  if  he  had  believed  that  tlie  advent 
which  was  next  to  occur,  (would  be  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  when 
Christ  would  destroy  the  Jewish  nation  and  scatter  its  inhabitants,  among  all 
nations,  and  thereby  propagate  the  gospel  more  extensivel}',)  he  might  simply 
have  told  them,— the  personal  advent  of  Christ  which  you  are  expecting,  is 
not  impending,  for  that  event  will  not  occur  until  after  another  advent,  which 
will  especially  afiect  the  Jewish  nation.  No  doubt,  Paul  was  aware  of  the 
impending  destruction  of  the  Jewish  nation,  1  Thess.  2:  IG.  Yet  he  passes  over 
that  event,  and  some  others  which  he  knew  must  occur  previously  to  the  per- 
sonal advent  of  Christ,  and  fixes  upon  the  revelation  of  the  man  of  sin  and 
son  of  perdition  as  the  sign,  which  they  were  to  look  for,  as  the  precursor  of 
the  very  advent,  which  the  Thessalonian  church  was  expecting,  while  Jerusa- 
lem was  still  standing.  These  intervening  events,  which  were  brought  about 
by  the  providence  of  God,  are  not  spoken  of  in  the  .scriptures,  as  advents  of 
Christ.  The  whole  church,  whether  composed  of  Jews  or  Gentiles,  was  then 
looking  out  for  only  one, — and  that  the  personal  bodily  return  of  Christ  in 
power  and  great  glory — an  event  which  our  Lord  foretold  would  come  as  a 
snare  upon  all  them  that  dwell  upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  Luke  21:  3'), 
and  in  which  the  interest  of  the  Thessalonian  church  was,  as  they  supposed, 
involved  as  well  as  that  of  the  churches  of  Judea.  The  watchword  of  all  the 
churches,  which  comprised  the  sum  of  the  Christian  hope  was,  Maran  atlia 
"Dominus  noster  venit.''  Our  Lord  cometh.  The  figurative  advent  of  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  so  often  spoken  of,  cannot  be  proven  by  any  exjilicit 
text  of  scripture. 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  37 

to  22.)  He  was  then  informed  that  *'the  fourth  beast  should 
be  the  fourth  kingdom  on  earth,"  and  this,  by  common  consent, 
is  interpreted  to  signify  the  Roman  empire.  "Ten  kingdoms 
were  to  arise  out  of  this  fourth  kingdom,  and  afterwards 
another,  which  should  be  diverse  from  the  rest."  These  ten 
kingdoms  are  almost  universally  understood  to  signify,  the 
states  or  kingdoms  which  arose  out  of  the  Roman  empire,  in 
the  fifth  and  sixth  centuries,  and  which  continue  with  some 
modifications  to  the  present  time.  This  diverse  king  or  king- 
dom is,  by  most  Protestants,  interpreted  to  signify  the  Papacy: 
but  by  the  Papists,  it  is  understood  to  foretell  antichrist, 
which,  in  their  opinion,  is  a  power  yet  to  arise,  and  will 
flourish  towards  the  end  of  time,  during  three  years  and  a  half. 
Either  of  their  opinions  serves  the  present  purpose,  because 
according  to  both  the  power  of  this  little  horn,  diverse  from 
the  first,  is  not  yet  destroyed.  If  the  reader  will  now  turn  to 
the  11th  verse  and  the  preceding  context,  he  will  find  it  stated 
generally,  that  the  beast  (viz.  this  fourth  beast)  was  slain  and 
his  body  destroyed  and  given  to  the  burning  flame.  This 
destruction  of  the  whole  beast  involved  of  course  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  horns  and  of  the  little  horn.  But  in  verse  26th, 
where  the  explanation  is  given,  tliis  destruction  is  predicated 
especially  of  the  little  horn,  to  which  the  preceding  [viz.  the 
25th)  verse  wholly  applies.  "But  the  judgment  shall  sit  and 
take  away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and  destroy  unto  the  end, 
and  the  kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  king- 
dom tinder  the  zuhole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the 
saints  of  the  Most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting 
kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him."  Now 
we  say,  this  kingdom  which  is  given  to  the  saints,  arises  sub- 
sequently to  the  destruction  of  the  little  horn,  because,  in 
verses  21  and  22,  it  is  said,  that  the  little  horn  made  was  with 
the  saints,  and  prevailed  against  them  until  the  ancient  of  days 
came,  and  judgment  was  given  to  the  saints,  and  the  time 
came  that  the  saints  possessed  the  kingdom.  By  turning  to 
verses  9th,  10th,  11th,  it  will  be  seen,  that  the  ancient  of  days 
came  at  the  destruction  of  the  fourth  beast.  It  is  to  be 
observed  too,  that  the  kingdom  which  in  verse  27th  is  said  to 
be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints,  is  (in  verses  13th  and  14th) 
said  to  be  given  to  one  like  the  Son  of  Man,  who  came  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven.  It  is  also  called  the  kingdom  of  the  Most 
High  in  ver.  27.  It  is,  therefore,  the  kingdom  of  God  as  well 
as  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  Man  and  of  his  saints.  It  is 
future,  because  it  is  not  to  arise  till  the  destruction  of  the  fourth 
beast  and  of  antichrist.  It  is  a  kingdom  on  earth,  because  it 
is  under  the  whole  heaven,  and  because  the  subjects  of  it  are 
VOL.  III. — 43 


38  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

said  (in  verse  14th)  to  be  all  people,  nations  and  languages 
which  are  earthly  distinctions.  And  it  is  also  the  kingdom 
referred  to  in  Luke  21:  31,  because  that  kingdom  comes  nigh 
only  upon  the  apjDearance  of  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  a  cloud 
with  power  and  great  glory,  (compare  Luke  21:  31  with  Dan. 
7:  13,  14.) 

For  another  proof  that  the  present  dispensation  is  not  the 
final  one  upon  the  earth,  but  that  we  must  look  for  another, 
the  reader  may  be  referred  to  the  form  of  prayer,  commonly 
called  the  Lord's  prayer: 

"Our  Father  who  art  {iv  tok  cygavw)  in  the  heavens* — Hallowed 
be  thy  name — Thy  kingdom  come — Thy  will  he  done  as  in  heaven 
(«c  fv  eyjAVM  referring  to  that  holy,  happy  place,  where  God's  will 
is  perfectly  done)  so  on  earth,  Luke  11:  2.  Matth.  6:  10.  It 
has  been  observed,  that  the  prayers  of  inspired  men  are  pro- 
phetic of  the  things  they  are  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ  to 
pray  for.  This  opinion  seems  reasonable;  for,  we  are  taught 
that  in  the  case  of  common  Christians,  the  Spirit  helpeth  their 
infirmities,  and  makes  intercession  for  them,  according  to  the 
will  of  God,  Rom.  8:  26,  27.  "He  helpeth  our  infirmities," 
says  one  commentator,  "for  he  teaches  us  to  pray,  dictating 
to  us  our  petitions,"  &c.  "The  Holy  Spirit,"  says  another, 
"dictates  those  petitions  and  excites  those  desires,  which 
are  according  to  the  Divine  purposes."  Now  if  this  be  so, 
can  we  doubt,  that  the  petitions,  dictated  by  the  Saviour  him- 
self, are  according  to  the  Divine  will?  Does  any  Christian 
require  argument  to  prove,  either  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
knew  what  is  agreeable  to  the  Divine  will,  or  that  he  would 
not  dictate  petitions  of  larger  import,  than  the  purposes  of  God 
would  authorize  his  followers  to  hope  for  and  expect?  Did 
any  Christian  ever  doubt,  that  in  uttering  the  Lord's  prayer, 
he  was  putting  up  those  petitions  which  are  agreeable  to  the 
will  of  God?  Can  that  man  pray  in  faith,  who  doubts 
whether — rather  we  should  say — who  believes  that  it  is  not 
according  to  the  will  of  God  to  grant  these  petitions?  (James 
1:4.) 

But  before  we  proceed  farther,  we  must  notice  an  opinion 
which  is  maintained  by  some — perhaps  many,  and  which,  if 
well  founded,  would  take  away  this  ground  of  argument.  It 
Is  this;  that  the  Lord's  prayer  is  not  strictly  adapted  to  the 
New  Testament  dispensation — that  it  was  delivered  while  the 
Old  Testament  economy  was  still  in  force,  and  the  setting  up  of 
the  new  prayed  for  as  future.   That  this  form  of  prayer  was  given 

♦  Not  in  heaven,  as  it  is  in  our  version.  Hereby  we  address  God  as  Omni- 
present, as  filling  all  heavens, — all  worlds,  and  therefore,  a^  being  present  in 
this  world  and  with  us  when  we  pray,  "Our  Father  who  art  in  the  heavens." 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  39 

while  the  0.  T.  economy  was  in  force,  is  undoubtedly  true, 
but  the  residue  of  this  statement  should  be  carefully  examined 
before  it  is  adopted.     The  kingdom  prayed  for,  was  a  kingdom 
in  which  the  will  of  God  shall  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  heaven. 
How  is  the  will  of  God  done  in  heaven?     Has  the  present 
dispensation  realized  a  state  of  things  on  earth,  even  remotely 
approaching  to  the  exalted  righteousness  of  heaven?     We  shall 
leave  these  questions  for  the  reader  to  answer.     The  apostle 
Peter's  expectations  were,   no  doubt,   in  harmony   with   the 
import  of  this  prayer  wlien  he  said,  "Nevertheless  we,  accord- 
ing to  his  promise," — and  may  we  not  add  according  to  this 
prayer  too — "look  for  new  heavens  and" — mark  it — "a  new 
earth,    wherein  dzvelkth  righteousness."     Those  who  maintain 
the  opinion,  that  the  present  dispensation  was  prayed  for,  by 
the  words  "Thy  kingdom  come,"  (understanding  the  kingdom 
to  be  really  the  present  dispensation,)  find  herein  a  literal  ful- 
filment of 'the  petition,— and  understood  in  this  sense,  it  was 
fulfilled  in  a  short  time  after  our  Lord's  ascension;  for  then, 
this  dispensation  Uterallq  came:    But  why  should  not  the  fol- 
lowing petition,  also  be  iitc>rally  fulfilled.     Be  it,  for  the  sake 
of  argument,  that  "the  kingdom  of  heaven"  or  "the  kingdom 
of  God"  spiritually,  means  the  Christian  Church  or  the  pre- 
sent dispensation,  so  that   the  foundation  of  the  church,  at  the 
opening  of  this  dispensation,  was  the  literal  thing  prayed  for, 
yet  some  portion  of  the  difficulty  remains:   we  cannot  spiritual- 
ize the  petitions,  "thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven." 
In   one   sense   the  will  of  God   is   done   on  earth.     Nothing 
occurs  but  by  his  permission.     He  causes  the  wrath  of  man 
and  of  devils  to  shew  his  praise,  but  the  will  of  God  is  not 
done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven,  either  literally  or  in  any  other 
sense.      But  the  fact  is,  the  kingdom  prayed  for,  is  a  kingdom 
in  which  the  will  of  God  shall  be  done  perfectly— and  when 
that  kingdom  shall  be  established  on  earth,  the  will  of  God 
will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.      Can  we  hope  for  or 
expect  any  such  state  of  things?     If  not,  the  Saviour  would  not 
have  taught  his  disciples   to  pray  for  it.     Nay  more,  unless 
God's  word  does  teach  that  it  is  his  purpose  at  some  time,  so 
to  establish  his  kingdom,  and  cause  his  will  so  to  be  done  on 
earth,  we  cannot  put  up  this  prayer  with  faith,  nothing  waver- 
ing—nothing doubting,  that  what  we  pray  for,  is  agreeable  to 
the  will  of  God.     Such  thoughts  indulged,  would  do  dishonour 
to  the  blessed  name  of  him  who  taught  us  thus  to  pray. 

But  the  scriptures  do  not  authorize  us  to  expect  the  literal 
fulfilment  of  these  petitions,  during  the  present  dispensation- 
Many  places  may  be  cited  to  this  point,  but  let  the  followmg 
suffice.     In  Matth.   13:  24-30,  we  have  the  parable  of  the 


40  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

wheat  and  the  tares,  or  as  it  is  called,  (in  verse  36th)  "the 
parable  of  the  tares  of  the  field."  The  interpretation  was 
given  by  our  Lord  himself,  and  it  is  recorded  in  the  same 
chap,  (verses  37  to  43.)  The  passage  is  too  long  to  extract, 
but  will  the  reader  be  pleased  to  open  to  the  place  and  read, 
first  the  parable  and  then  the  interpretation.  In  verse  24  he 
will  find,  that  "the  parable  was  put  forth"  as  a  likeness  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  and  it  teaches  us  that  as  the  tares  and  the 
wheat  were  permitted  to  grow  together  until  the  harvest,  so 
the  children  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  children  of  the  wicked 
one  will  exist  together  till  the  end  of  this  world,  that  is,  (if 
the  reader  will  consult  the  original,)  of  this  age  or  dispensation, 
(oi/wo;  ver.  40.)  Then  (and  not  before)  the  Son  of  Man  will 
send  his  angels  and  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that 
offend,  and  them  that  do  iniquity,  and  shall  cast  them  into  a 
furnace  of  fire,  and  then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the 
sun  ifi  the  kingdom  of  their  Father,  Matth.  IS:  41,  43.  This 
parable  teaches  that  the  period  which  precedes  the  end  of  this 
(a/avof)  dispensation,  is  characterized  by  a  mixture  of  evil  with 
good,  and  that  it  is  the  purpose  of  God  to  allow  this  mixed 
condition  to  exist  until  the  end  of  it.  Until  then  the  will 
of  God,  therefore,  will  not  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven.  And  even  if  the  visible  church  be  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  here  represented,  the  church  (which  is  gathered 
out  of  the  world  and  ought  to  be  better  than  the  world) 
will  continue  to  be  a  mixed  body,  doing  God's  will  imperfectly 
at  the  best.  But  at  the  close  of  this  dispensation  a  new  and 
more  glorious  order  of  things  will  commence — The  Son  of 
Man  will  expel  from  the  world,  which  belongs  to  him,  and  is 
his  kingdom,  every  evil,  every  malign  influence,  every  offender 
against  his  righteous  law.  Satan  shall  be  expelled  and  con- 
fined to  the  bottomless  abyss:  and  then  the  righteous  shall 
shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  father.  Nothing 
is  here  said  of  the  translation  of  tiie  righteous  to  some  other 
orb — rather  it  would  seem  that  they  were  in  the  kingdom  of 
the  Son  of  Man  during  the  period  of  mixture,  and  that  the 
separation  was  made  b}'  gathering  out  of  it  the  evil,  while  the 
good  are  allowed  to  remain.  We  observe  here  the  same  thing 
which  we  noticed  in  the  passage  cited  from  the  prophet 
Daniel.  The  same  kingdom  is  called  the  kingdom  of  the  Son 
of  Man  and  tlie  kingdom  of  the  Father,  and  the  righteous 
shall  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father, 
that  is  to  say,  they  will  be  as  sons  of  God  in  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  being  sons,  they  will  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
Christ,  that  he  might  be  the  first  born  among  many  brethren, 
(Rom.  8:  29.)  But  it  should  be  observed,  that  the  prayer  is  not 
that  the  will  of  God  may  be  done  by  the  church  or  in  the  church 


OP  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  ^j 

as  it  is  la  heaven.  Now,  altiiough  the  church,  in  one  or 
another  of  its  forms,  has  embraced  myriads  of  persons,  destitute 
of  godliness,  yet  it  never  has  comprised  the  whole  human 
family.  The  petition,  however,  is,  thy  will  be  done  ofi  earth 
(that  is  by  all  those  who  dwell  on  earth)  as  it  is  in  heaven. 
Those  then,  who  understand  these  petitions  as  having  respect 
to  the  church,  or  a  dispensation,  or  order  of  things  which 
extends  only  to  a  part  of  the  human  family,  very  much  abridge 
the  import  of  these  petitions.  Upon  the  whole  then,  may  we 
not  conclude;  this  prayer  teaches  us  to  expect  that  at  some 
time  hereafter,  the  kingdom  of  God  will  be  established  upon 
earth  in  a  more  exalted  form,  than  any  thing  the  world  has 
hitherto  witnessed,  and  that  during  that  kingdom,  the  will 
of  God  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven? 

There  are  many  other  passages  in  the  scriptures  which 
prove  the  same  doctrine.  We  should  perhaps  weary  the 
reader  were  we  to  attempt  a  detailed  examination  of  all  of 
them.  It  may  not  be  improper,  however,  briefly  to  refer  to 
a  few,  and  leave  it  to  the  reader  to  investigate  them  at  his 
leisure. 

In  2  Tim.  4:  1,  we  find  this  passage,  "I  charge  thee,  there- 
fore, before  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  judge 
the  quick  and  the  dead,  at  his  appearing  aiid  his  kingdom." 
There  can  be  no  doubt,  that  Paul  here  refers  to  a  future  per- 
sonal advent  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  because  he  connects 
with  it,  the  judgment  of  the  living  and  the  dead.  Nor  can  it 
be  doubted  that  the  apostle  also  refers  to  a  future  kingdom  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  he  connects  that  with  his  advent, 
and  his  judgment  of  the  dead  and  living. 

Another  passage,  which  seems  decisive  of  the  whole  ques- 
tion, is  recorded  in  Luke  19:  11-27 — It  is  the  parable  of  the 
nobleman  who  went  into  a  far  country  to  receive  a  kingdom 
and  to  return.  The  nobleman  undoubtedly  represents  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ — his  departure  into  a  far  country  to  receive 
a  kingdom,  denotes  our  Lord's  ascension  into  heaven — the 
return  of  the  nobleman,  denotes  the  second  advent  of  our  Lord 
or  (in  the  language  of  2  Tim.  4:  1,  just  cited)  his  appearing  in 
his  kingdom.  The  parable  then  goes  on  to  describe  two  ini- 
tiatory acts  of  government,  or  of  his  reign  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  The  scene  of  the  transaction  certainly  is  upon  earth, 
and  the  objects  which  enter  into  the  scene  are  sublunar}'- 
things.  In  reference  to  this  parable,  the  Rev.  E^dward  Gres- 
well  remarked,  "that  the  difliculty  or  rather  the  impossibility 
of  explaining  it  satisfactorily  and  consistently,  upon  any  other 
principle  than  that  of  a  reference  to  the  millenary  dispensa- 
tion, contributed  as  much  as  any  thing  else,  to  confirm  his  own 
43* 


42  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

belief  in  the  futurity  of  that  dispensation;  and  in  fact,  first  to 
draw  his  attention  seriously  to  this  subject.  The  difficulty 
which  was  felt  by  himself,  he  is  persuaded,  will  be  felt  by  any 
other  person,  who  shall  attempt  to  explain  the  parable,  with- 
out doing  violence  to  it,  and  to  find  a  counterpart  for  it,  in  any 
economy  or  in  reference  to  any  kingdom  of  Christ  whether 
past  or  to  come  but  that."  The  reader,  if  he  has  the  oppor- 
tunity, will  do  well  to  consult  that  learned  writer's  exposition 
of  this  parable  in  vol.  4th  (pp.  419  to  514)  of  his  work  on  the 
Parables. 

The  passage  in  Heb.  2:  5,  is  remarkable  when  considered 
in  the  original,  "For  unto  the  angels  hath  he  not  put  in  sub- 
jection the  world  to  come,  whereof  we  speak."  In  verse  14th 
of  the  first  chapter,  we  are  taught  that  during  this  economy, 
the  angels  are  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for 
them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation;  but  the  world  to  corner  is 
not  put  in  subjection  to  them.  Now  what  is  this  world  to 
come?  Most  Christians  perhaps — and  some  who  should  know 
better — would  say,  heaven  is  the  world  to  come,  which  is 
here  intended — Dr.  Scott  seems  to  think,  that  it  includes  "the 
dispensation  of  the  Messiah  and  the  millennium  as  connected 
with  heavenly  happiness."  "The  times  of  the  Messiah  began 
at  the  first  coming  of  Christ  and  will  continue  till  his  second 
coming,"  within  which  period  that  commentator  believes  the 
millennium  will  occur,  as  it  appears  by  other  parts  of  his 
commentary.  It  is  difficult  to  understand  Professor  Stuart's 
commentary  on  this  verse.  The  words  translated  zvorld  to 
come,  mean  literally  the  habitable  earth  to  come,  tuv  oixovjuivxv  mv 
fxiKKoua-av.  These  words,  he  says,  are  equivalent  to  o  aimv  o  /uixxm, 
that  is,  (as  he  interprets)  the  Christia?i  dispensation,  the  world  as 
it  will  be  in  future.  Dr.  Owen  observes,  "that  it  denotes  a 
certain  state  or  condition  of  things  in  this  world,"  that  is  on 
this  globe,  "for  the  apostle  does  not  treat  directly  of  heaven," 
and  to  call  heaven  "the  world  to  come,"  because  we  are  to 
go  into  it,  is,  says  Beza,  "rather  harsh." 

Paul*  refers  doubtless  to  a  future  dispensation  to  be  realized 

*  Dr.  Bloomfield's  note  is  very  iinsalisfactor\',  the  paraphrase,  or  gloss,  which 
lie  gives,  is  "the  times  of  the  Tew  Testament."  He  adds,  they  are  so  termed 
in  the  style  of  the  prophets,  who  call  this  dispensation  such  symbolically, 
(Ernesti.)  SoDindorf.  Doddridge  explains  it  ol' the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah, 
which  extends  not  only  to  caith  but  to  heaven.  See  Whilby  and  Macknight. 
Slade  thinks  it  probable,  that  the  phrase  refers  to  the  state  of  the  gospel  here 
on  earth,  that  being  what  the  apostle  is  .speaking  of,  and  he  refers  to  Acts  7: 
53.  Gal.  3:  19. 

It  is  supposed  that  this  epistle  was  written  about  the  year  61  or  C2,  and  the 
world  or  dispensation  to  which  tliis  pas.sage  refers,  was  then  future,  (/uixxova-av) 
and  yet  the  times  of  the  N.  T.  had  been  running  near  30  years,  and  the  gospel  had 
been  extensively  promulgated  in  the  Roman  empire.  But  how  the  word 
v;orld  or  inhabited  earth,  can  signify  a  kingdom  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  and 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  43 

on  this  sphere, — he  means  what  Peter  does  by  the  nezo  earth, 
2  Pet.  3:  13, — he  means  what  our  Lord  did  by  the  (TruKiyyma-tci 
Matth.  19:  28),  regerieration  or  new  creation,  when  the  Son  of 
Man  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  glory, — he  means  what  Peter 
did  by  the  (a^TcxxTsts-Tao-sa)?  TravTw  Acts  3:21)  reslitution  of  all  things, 
which  will  take  place  when  the  heavens  shall  no  longer 
receive  (that  is,  detain)  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  habita- 
ble earth  to  come — this  new  earth — this  regeneration,  and 
restitution  of  all  things,  will  be  signalised  and  made  glorious 
by  the  fulfilment  of  Isaiah  6:  3.  *<The  whole  earth  is  full  of 
his  glory."  That  the  glory  of  Christ  (at  his  second  advent, 
when  he  shall  come  with  power  and  great  glory,  and  sit  upon 
the  throne  of  his  glory)  is  here  foretold,  will  be  evident  by 
comparing  the  place  with  John  12:  41,  where  this  passage  is 
cited,  and  the  glory  which  Esaias  saw,  is  declared  to  be  the 
glory  of  Christ. 

Again  the  apostle  Paul  in  Eph.  1:  10,  refers  to  a  future 
economy,  which  he  calls  the  economy  or  dispensation  of  the 
fulness  of  the  times.  This  economy  will  begin  when  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  are  fulfilled — when  Jerusalem  shall  no 
longer  be  trodden  down  by  a  hostile  power,  Luke  21 :  24, — 
when  God  will  return,  and  will  build  again  the  tabernacle  of 
David  which  is  fallen  down — and  will  build  again  the  ruins 
thereof  and  set  it  up,  Acts  15:  16.  Amos  9:  11.  This  Jerusa- 
lem, though  now  trodden  down,  is  yet  the  city  of  the  great 
king,  by  whicii  men  are  forbidden  to  swear,  as  they  are  by 
heaven  which  is  God's  throne,  Matth.  5:  35. 

This  future  kingdom  is  also  predicted  in  Rev.  11:  15,  19. 
It  will  be  ushered  in  by  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel.  At 
this  trump,  the  mystery  of  God  shall  be  finished,  Rev.  10:  7 — 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world  will  become  the  kingdom  of  our 
Lord — the  dead  will  be  raised — the  servants  of  God  will  be 

how  the  words  to  come,  can  signify  what  is  present,  it  is  hard  to  comprehend. 
The  difficiilt}'  in  which  the  commentators  involve  the  subject,  arises  from 
this:  they  assume  as  a  settled  point,  that  the  present  economy  is  the  final  one 
on  earth,  and  they  endeavour  to  make  every  text  bend  to  that  theory.  If  they 
would  admit  that  this  dispensation  is  only  preparatory  or  introductory  to 
another,  as  this  and  other  passages  teach,  many  hard  questions  would  be 
solved.  But  as  they  will  not  do  this,  they  are  obliged  to  invent  senses  for 
words  which  elsewhere  they  do  not  bear;  and  each  commentator  being  guided 
by  his  own  view  of  what  is  probable,  or  plausible,  or  according  to  the  analogy 
o"f  faith,  their  interpretations  are  discordant.  Upon  the  ground  of  this  dis- 
cordancy, the  Romanists  build  an  argument  for  the  necessity  of  an  infallible 
interpreter,  and  such  they  claim  their  church  to  be.  Yet  that  church  in  truth, 
took  the  lead  in  establishing  false  theories  and  false  interpretation,  and  is  in 
fact  the  first  author  of  them  all.  Errors  of  interpretation  mav  be  less  multi- 
form in  that  church,  but  they  are  not  less  real  nor  less  remote  from  the  sim- 
plicity of  this  truth;  on  the  contrar}^  many  of  their  errors  are  certainly  much 
more  gross — and  many  are  even  subversive  of  the  essential  doctrines  of  the 
gospel. 


44  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

rewarded,  and  the  destroyers  of  the  earth  will  be  destroyed, 
Rev.  11:  IS.  Then  will  be  fulfilled  the  promise  made  to  him 
tliat  overcometh  and  keepeth  Christ's  works  to  the  end — he 
shall  have  power  over  the  nations,  &c.  (See  Rev.  2:  26, 
with  which  compare  Rev.  12:  5  and  19:  15.  Ps.  2:  8,  9.) 

But  it  is  time  to  conclude  this  essay,  and  this  we  will  do  by- 
recalling  for  a  moment  the  reader's  attention  to  a  thought 
expressed  in  a  former  paper.  It  was  concerning  this  future 
glorious  kingdom,  (of  the  saints — of  the  Son  of  Man — of  heaven 
— of  God;  for  we  have  seen  that  each  of  these  expressions  are 
used  to  denote  the  same  kingdom,)  that  the  Pharisees  inquired. 
Ignorant  of  their  own  obduracy  and  blindness,  and  consequently 
having  no  proper  conception  of  the  holiness  of  tiiat  kingdom, 
or  of  tlie  incapacity  of  depraved  human  nature  to  enjoy  it,  they 
imagined  that  when  it  came  to  their  nation,  it  would  certainly 
be  established.  They  had  Abraham  for  their  father,  and  that 
was  a  title  which  could  not  be  defeated  or  lost,  Matth.  3:  9. 
They  did  not  attend,  therefore,  with  candour  and  care  to  the 
proofs  which  our  Lord  gave  them  of  his  Messiahship,  and  con- 
sequently were  ignorant,  that,  meek  and  lowly  as  he  appeared, 
He  was  really  the  Lord  of  glory  and  the  Prince  of  life. 
Actuated  by  the  Spirit  of  worldly  politics,  they  rejected  and 
crucified  him,  lest  the  Romans,  to  whom  they  were  already 
subject,  should  come  and  take  away  their  place  and  nation,  not 
knowing,  and  not  believing  that  if  they  would  accept  of  him 
and  his  kingdom,  he  would  gather  and  protect  them  in  the 
most  affectionate  manner,  while  the  Roman  power,  and  every 
hostile  power  would  have  crumbled  before  him,  and  been  dis- 
sipated at  his  presence,  like  the  chaff  of  the  summer  threshing 
floor  before  a  mighty  wind,  (Matth.  23:  37.  Luke  19:  41-41. 
Ps.  81:  10-15.  Dan.  2:  34,  35.  Ps.  2:  8,  9.)  They  had  not, 
therefore,  the  least  conception  that  the  loss  of  the  glorious 
kingdom  about  which  they  inquired,  depended,  in  any  sense, 
upon  their  acceptance  or  refusal  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as 
their  Messiah.  Thus  blind  and  obdurate  and  unbelieving, 
they  "demanded  rcheii  the  kingdom  of  God  should  come." 
The  Lord  Jesus,  knowing  the  character  of  the  human  heart, 
and  foreseeing  full  well  the  event  of  his  ministry  among  the 
Jews,  answers  them  according  to  the  intent  of  their  question 
and  the  foreseen  event,  and  then  reiterates  the  doctrine  which 
he  had  taught  from  the  beginning.  More  than  eighteen  centuries 
have  already  elapsed  since  this  kingdom  was  taken  from  that 
nation,  and  still  it  remains  in  abe3'ance,  awaiting  the  termina- 
tion of  this  economy,  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  will  prepare  a 
people  who  shall  be  willing  to  receive  him  in  the  day  of  his 
advent  in  power  and  great  glory.      The  Spirit  and  the  bride 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  45 

Say  come,  and  let  all  who  love  our  Lord's  appearing  say 
come — Thy  kingdom  come.  Even  so,  come  Lord  Jesus, 
come  quickly. 


ESSAY  IV. 


<'  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  ivith  observation.'^ 

Having  proved  sufficiently,  as  we  suppose,  in  the  preceding 
essay,  that  the  present  dispensation  is  not  the  final  one,  but 
only  preparatory  to  a  dispensation  far  more  glorious,  called  in 
the  scriptures  "the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  and  "the  kingdom  of 
God,"  we  now  proceed  to  consider  what  is  here  affirmed  of 
it,  namely,  that  it  cometh  not  viilh  observation — "non  venit 
regnum  Dei  cum  observatione." 

This  expression  is  a  singular  one,  and  suggests  the  possi- 
bility that  it  may  not  correctly  give  the  sense  of  the  original  text. 
Ov>c  i^^irai » jia.(7tKuiL  Tou  Biiu  fJiiTA  Trct^xTn^Ho-iaic.  AVe  may  affirm  of  two 
material  objects,  that  one  comes  with  or  without  the  other,  or 
figuratively  we  may  affirm  of  things  not  material,  that  one 
comes  with  or  without  the  other:  We  may  say,  Peter  and 
John  came  to  the  sepulchre,  but  Peter  came  not  with  John — 
we  may  say  that  pestilence  does  not  always  come  with  famine 
— that  with  night  cometh  sadness,  but  joy  cometh  with  the 
morning,  &c.  &c.,  yet  it  is  not  in  this  sense  that  we  can  say, 
the  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observation.  In  the 
examples  given,  "wilh,'"  has  the  force  of  a  conjunction,  and  the 
sense  is,  that  the  two  objects  come  or  come  not  conjunctively 
in  the  vicinity  or  company  of  each  other.  See  Winer's  idioms, 
//sTtt.  But  observation,  is  an  act  of  some  agent,  while  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  a  great  and  glorious  reality,  which  cannot  be 
said  to  come  cojijurictively,  with  that  which  is  not  the  subject 
of  an  action,  but  is  itself  nothing  but  an  action.*     Feeling  this 

*  Dr.  Campbell  thinks  the  expression  "exceedingly  awkward,  not  to  say 
absurd,"  and  the  awkwardness  consists  in  his  view  chiefly  in  applying  the  idea 
of  "motion  to  a  kingdom,  as  when  mention  is  made  of  its  coming,  approaching, 
and  the  like."  Accordingly  he  translates  the  expression,  "when  the  (/35ts-/A.«a) 
reign  of  God  should  (i^x^rsu)  commence."  But  the  idea  of  motion  is  contained 
in  the  word  (e|;t''^="i  translated  by  him)  commence,  and  Dr.  C.  himself  trans- 
lates it  in  (the  Lord's  prayer),  Matth.  6:  10.    Luke  11:  2,  by  the  word  co7ne, 


46  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

difficulty,  commentators  have  sought  for  a  theological  sense  of 
the  word  observatio,  at  variance  with  its  meaning  in  classical 
Latin  as  the  only  means  of  overcoming  it.  One  says*  the 
word  is  taken  for  a  certain  external  and  terrene  splendour 
of  majest}',  or  for  an  illustrious  and  conspicuous  pomp,  by 
which  a  thing  may  be  discussed,  {Bibliolheca  sacra  Petri  Rava- 
nelli.)  Another  sayst  the  word  observatio,  by  a  frequent  He- 
braism, by  which  the  abstract  is  put  for  the  concrete  and  its 
subject,  signifies  a  noted  or  illustrious  and  observable  thing. 
The  sense  of  this  passage,  he  says, J  is  "The  kingdom  of  God 
and  Messiah  will  not  come  at  his  first  advent,  with  any 
splendid  pomp  and  illustrious  and  conspicuous  majesty,  so  that 
it  should  necessarily  be  seen  by  all,  and  it  should  be  said,  "Lo 
here,  or  Lo  there,  is  his  army,  his  camps,  his  standards. 
Already  he  hath  taken  this  or  that  city — here  or  there  states 
have  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  him,"  "as  political  king- 
doms and  kings  usually  come,"  &c.  &c.,  (Mathiae,  Flacii, 
lllyrici,  Clavis,  ad  verb  observ.)  Another  commentator  would 
substitute  for  (cum  observutione)  "with  observation,"  the  words 
(ita  ut  observetur  ex  externis  (sc.  circumstantiis)  si  animus 
advertatur)   "so  that   it   may  be  observed, §  immely,  from   ex- 

which  surely  contains  the  idea  of  motion, "Thy  reign,"  (not  kingdom V'come." 
But  wherein  is  it  less  awkward  to  ascribe  motion  to  reign  than  lo  Kingdom, 
and  what  is  gained  by  substituting  cmnmence  for  the  word  "come,"  in  this 
place,  except,  that  it  covers  from  the  eye  of  a  mere  English  reader,  an  objection 
which  would  overturn  his  criticism  on  the  word  /Jao-l  This  change  in  the 
translation,  does  indeed  fall  in  very  well  with  the  hypothesis,  that  the  present 
dispensation  of  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles  is  the  "kingdom  of  God"  spoken  of 
ill  this  passage.  Without  entering,  however,  into  the  question  whether /Ssto- 
may  not  mean  "reign,"  it  is  sufficient  to  say  it  may  mean  "kingdom,"  and  that 
i^X-'^^  doe<  mean  rome,  and  that  come  does  involve  the  idea  of  moiion,  and  the 
expression  in  question  is  bj'  no  means  uncommon.  The  awhKardncss  of  the 
expression,  as  it  appears  to  the  writer,  arises  from  a  misconception  and  mis- 
translation of  the  words  /xiTo.  tt-j.^'j.'t, — more  particularly  in  conjoining  things 
unlike  in  kind,  and  in  applying  to  both  the  idea  of  coming,  which  cannot  be 
understood  of  both  in  the  same  sense. 

*  "Pro  externo  qnopiam  et  lerreno  majestatis  splendore  seu  illustri  et  con- 
spicua  pompa  ex  qua  aliquid  possit  agnosci." 

t  "Observatio  usitato  Hebraisnio  quo  abstractum  pro  concreto  et  ejus 
subjecto  ponitnr,  significat  rem  noiam  ant  ilhistrem,  ac  observabileni." 

t  Regnum  Dei  ac  Mcschiae  non  veniet  in  suo  primo  adventu  cum  aliqua 
splendida  pompa,  ac  illustri  conspicuaque  inajeslate,  ut  ab  omnibus  conspici 
necessario  possit,  et  dicatur  "Ecee  hie  aut  ibi  ejus  exercitus,  ejus  casira  et 
vexilla;  jam  cepit  banc  aut  illam  urbem,  hie  aut  ibi  civilates  jam  ei  jurave- 
runt,"  sicut  politica  regna  ac  regescum  illustri  superbaque  pompa  in  omnium 
oculos  incnrrente  lurba  potentia  ac  majestate,  venire  solent. 

§  Hardoin  paraphrases  the  expression  thus:  "Non  prtecedet  Messiae  et  Dei 
regnum  signum  aliquod,  quod  in  coelo  vel  oere  observari  possit."  The  ex- 
pression //ST*  TragiT,  he  says  is  used  for  fAtrx  a-yifAn<i-tni  (signi  datione),  and  bis 
commentary  is,  "cum  signo  aliquo,  quod  observari  in  coelo  possit  Malth.  12: 
39,  usus  est  eo  oh^crvationis  verbo  Plinius  passim  multis  locis  ut  lib.  18,  sect. 
05."  Cornelius  a  Lapide,  another  Jesuit,  gives  the  following:  "Regnum  Dei 
et  Messiae  non  veniet  cum  prrovio  apparalu,  nee  cum  pompa  externa  militum, 
equorum,  curruum,  ut  ex  ilia  ip&um  observare  et  certo  praescire  possitis,  Sicut 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD.  47 

ternal  circumstances  if  the  mind  attend  to  them,"  (Munthe's 
Observationes  Philologicae.)     Dr.  Scott  thinks  the  import  of 
the  expression  is  this,  "be  conspicuous  by  outward  splendour 
and  magnificent  displays,  like  the  triumphs  of  conquerors  or 
the  coronation  of  kings  and  emperors."     Others  prefer  the 
marginal  reading  as  being  a  more  just  rendering  of  the  words 
(fxiTu  Trugurit^nTim;)    ciwi    observalionc,    which    is    "with    outward 
show,"  viz.  "the  gospel  dispensation   is  not  ushered  in  with 
pomp  and  splendour."     Cartwright  (Harm,  in  loco)  observes 
upon    this   place,    that  "the    question    was   doubtless  put   in 
mockery;  for  as  Christ  was  continually  discoursing  concern- 
ing the  kingdom  of  God  at  hand,  while  there  was  no  change 
of  external  state  among  the  Jews,  wicked  and  malicious  men 
thought  it  a  plausible  pretext  of  vexing  him.      Therefore,  as  if 
he  were  vainly  prating  and  trifling  about  the  kingdom  of  God, 
they  inquire  of  him  tauntingly,  when  at  length  this  kingdom 
of  God  was  to  come.     The  Pharisees  thought  (and  even   to 
this  day  the  Jews  are  in  the  same  error),  the  kingdom  of  the 
Messiah  would  be  carnal,  like  that  of  other  kings,  and  they 
thought  Messiah  would  come  with  royal  splendour  and  would 
dwell  in  royal  state  either  in  Jerusalem  or  Samaria,  (where  the 
royal  palaces   formerly  were,)   and   that  from   his   court,   he 
would  give  laws  to  all  nations,  and  by  his  prudence  and  power 
would   cause  all,  who  should   acknowledge  him   as  king,  to 
dwell  securely  and  happily,  under  their  own  vine  and  fig-tree. 
But  Christ  by  his  answer,  shews  that  the   kingdom   of  God 
would  not  be  (visible)  a-far  off',  as   if  conspicuous  in  pomp: 
and,  therefore,  they  were  greatly  deceived,  who  were  looking 
for  the  kingdom  of  God  with  eyes  of  flesh,  which   is  in  no 
respect  carnal  or  earthly,   since   it    is   nothing   else    but  the 
interior   and   spiritual   renovation    of  the    mind;    because   he 
teaches  from  the  nature  of  the  kingdom   itself,  that  those  act 
perversely  who  look  hither  and   thither,  in   order  that  they 
may  observe  visible  marks,  as  if  he  had  said,  "The  renewal  of 
the   church,   which    God    has   promised,  is   to    be   looked  for 
within,   because   by   quickening  his  own   elect   into   celestial 
newness,  he  erects  his  kingdom  in  them:  and  thus  he  obliquely 
reproves  the  sottishness  of  the  Pharisees,  who  aspired  after 

regem  certo  adesse  scitis,  dum  videtis  prEevium  ejus  comitatinn,  cum  quali 
vos  regnum  Messiae  venturum  piitatis,  et  jam  quasi  proximurn  observatis. 
Non  poterit  observari,  ait  glossa,  quia  non  est  coiporale  ut  putatis,  sed 
spirituale,  quod  jam,  incepit.  Cluocirca  Cbristus  venit  sine  pompa  pauper  et 
humilis  ut  ostenderet  regnum  suum  esse  spirituale  et  divinuni,  non  corporale 
et  mundanum  ....  Non  dicent:  Ecce  in  Jerusalem  est  ihronus  regalis 
Christi:  Ecce  ibi  regnat  in  magnificentia  quasi  alter  Salomon:  quia  nonChristus 
regnat  in  throne  corporali  sed  in  anima  spirituali,  dum  illam  per  gratiam 
suam  regit  et  flectit  ad  omne  bonum  sicque  earn  dirigit  ad  legnum  coeleste.'' 


48  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

nothing,  except  that  which  was  terrestrial  and  perishing. 
Yet  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  Christ  spoke  only  of  the  begin- 
nings of  the  kingdom  of  God,  because  now  we  are  beginning 
to  be  made  anew  in  spirit,  according  to  the  image  of  God,  in 
order  that  afterwards  the  entire  renovation  of  us,  and  of  the 
whole  world,  may  follow  each  in  the  proper  time;  concerning 
which  Paul  discourses  largely,  Rom.  8:  23."  Afterwards  (on 
the  next  verse)  this  author  adds,  "The  scope,  therefore,  of  the 
answer  of  Christ,  in  this  place,  was  to  teach  his  disciples  that 
the  kingdom  of  God  was  not  to  be  restored  at  present  with 
external  felicity  and  glory,  but  in  spirit  and  faith,  and  that  too 
with  the  greatest  affliction  and  severest  temptations  of  the 
citizens  of  this  kingdom,"  &c.  But  there  is  no  end  to  the 
opinions  of  commentators  on  this  passage,  "congeruntur  autem 
variai  interpretationes  in  eum,"  said  Illyricus  two  centuries 
ago,  and  they  are  not  less  various  now  than  they  were  then. 
But  this  variety  and  discordance  of  opinions,  is  a  strong  proof 
that  none  of  them  has  hit  upon  the  true  meaning  of  the  pas- 
sage. Many  objections  may  be  urged  against  these  interpreta- 
tions, but  it  is  not  our  purpose  to  do  more  than  merely 
mention  some  of  them.  1.  These  authors  ascribe  to  the  word 
observation,  a  sense  which  it  no  where  else  has;  in  fact,  the 
sense  is  invented  for  this  place.  2.  The  answer  of  our  Lord 
so  interpreted,  does  not  meet  the  stress  of  the  question.  The 
Pharisees  inquired  ivhen  {ttoti)  the  kingdom  of  God  should 
come,  not  {?ra,;)  how  or  i?i  what  manner  it  should  come.  Now, 
why  should  the  Saviour  avoid  giving  a  direct  answer  to  the 
question,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  was  proposed  to  him? 
Surely  not  for  lack  of  wisdom;  it  would  be  impious  to  suppose 
so — nor  would  he  evade  the  question,  by  answering  one  that 
was  not  put  to  him,  because  the  actual  question  was  one  which 
should  not  have  been  asked.  In  such  a  case  our  Lord  would 
have  refused  to  give  the  information  called  for,  and  such  it  is 
believed,  was  the  purport  of  the  answer.  3.  This  interpreta- 
tion assumes,  that  the  present  dispensation  of  the  gospel  among 
the  heathen  or  Gentiles,  is  tlie  kingdom  of  God.  and  that  no 
future  dispensation  on  earth  is  to  be  expected.  This  opinion 
it  is  believed,  is  not  scriptural,  for  reasons  given  in  a  former 
essay. 

4.  If  the  kingdom  of  God  referred  to  in  this  passage,  is  that 
reign  or  dispensation  which  shall  be  ushered  in  at  the  second 
advent  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  power  and  great  glory, 
it  will  come  with  external  splendour  of  majesty — it  will  be  a 
noted,  illustrious  and  observable  thing — it  will  be  conspicuous 
by  outward  splendour  and  magnificent  displays,  compared 
with  which  the  pomp  and  the  triumph  of  conquerors,  and  the 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  49 

coronation  of  kings  and  emperors,  are  but  as  the  light  of  a 
glow-worm  to  the  splendour  of  the  meridian  sun.  The  inter- 
pretations opposed,  resting  as  they  do  upon  this  assumption, 
to  wit,  that  the  present  dispensation  is  the  final  one,  and,  there- 
fore, is  the  kingdom  of  God  intended  in  this  passage,  will  be 
disproved,  if  it  can  be  shewn  that  the  present  dispensation  is 
not  final,  but  preparatory  to  the  kingdom  God,  spoken  of  in 
this  passage.  In  the  last  essay  this  question  was  considered, 
and  some  proofs  were  submitted  to  the  reader  which  were 
deemed  decisive,  although  but  a  small  part  of  the  evidence 
was  produced.  But  waving  further  objections,  we  desire  the 
reader  to  consider  the  following  suggestions. 

The  word  (^a§stT»gKcr/f)  translated  observation,  does  not  bear 
that  meaning  precisely,  nor  does  it  bear  any  of  the  meanings 
which,  by  interpreters,  are  given  to  the  word  observatio.  In 
fact  it  has  some  varieties  or  shades  of  meaning  quite  different 
from  those  of  the  words  by  which  it  is  rendered.  It  occurs  in 
the  N.  T.  only  in  this  place  and  only  a  few  times  in  classical 
Greek.  Commonly  it  is  rendered  observatio,  vaticinatio,  aiigu- 
rium.  But  the  kindred  words  T^gsa  and  Tra^aTJigs*  occur  fre- 
quently. The  word  Txgs*  signifies  to  observe  or  watch  a 
visible  object  with  the  eye,  Matth.  27:  36,  54—28:  4.  Figu- 
ratively it  may  signify  to  confine  as  in  a  prison,  Acts  12:  5,  6. 
Jude  6.  2  Pet.  2:  4,  or  to  keep  laid  up,  or  to  reserve  for 'a 
future  time,  1  Pet.  1:  4,  also  to  obey  or  keep*  a  command, 
Matth.  19:  17.  The  word  ^stgarxgsa)  means  to  watch  a  thing 
from  a  proximate  position — or  metaphorically,  to  watch  closely, 
narrowly,  or  with  malicious  intentions,  Mark  3:  2.  Luke  6:  7 
— 14:  1 — 20:  20.  Acts  9:  24.  The  word  Trct^-^n^sa,  also  has  the 
general  meaning  of  (puKu^a-ai  to  watch,  to  observe  narrowly,  or 
attentively,  or  closely,  from  which  we  have  the  word  •^vha.M 
custody,  keeping  guard,  a  watch,  or  fourth  part  of  the  niglit, 
(vigilia,  exciibalio,  quarta  pars  noctis.)  "For  a  thousand  years 
in  thy  sight,  are  as  yesterday  when  it  is  past,  and  as  a  watch 
in  the  night,  [<pvKctx.;iivvtj>trt.)  Ps.  (89:  4  in  Ixx.)  90:  4.  In 
Luke  2:  8,  we  have  the  expression  {<puxaa-7cvnr ^vkclkx;  watching 
watches),  keeping  zvatcli.  See  Luke  12:  38.  Mark  13:  35. 
May  not  the  word  7ru^u.'riig^>,a-i;  have  a  signification  corresponding 
with  that  of  <piJX^K.>i,  which,  from  signifying  the  act  of  icatching, 
during  a  certain  interval,  comes  to  signify  the  interval  itself.'' 
Both  these  nouns  contain  the  abstract  primary  sense  of  the 
verbs  from  which  they  are  derived,  and  both  the  verbs  signify 
pretty  much  the  same  idea,  and  if  <f)yAa;c«  may  be  used  to  signity 

*  The  word  cpuKcia<rai  is  also  used  by  Paul  in  the  same  sense,  "For  neither 
they  themselves  vojuov  <^uksLa-s-ov<riv  keep  the  law,  Gal.  6:  13.  See  also  Acts  16: 
4—21:  24.  Rom.  2:  2G. 

VOL.  III. — 44 


50  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

a  stated  interval  or  period,  why  may  not  7r<tgar>i^>,a-i;  have  the 
same  signification?  But  if  it  be  objected  that  the  evangelist 
would  have  used  <pukaKii,  if  such  had  been  his  meaning,  the 
answer  is  obvious:  The  word  <pvKaM»  is  by  inveterate  usage 
confined  to  a  short  interval,  and  that  a  portion  of  the  night. 
It  is,  therefore,  altogether  inappropriate  to  express  a  period 
upon  the  expanded  chronology  of  prophecy,  which  has  to  do 
with  dispensations  or  ages.  Taking  that  largeness  of  view, 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  takes,  when  he  calls  a  thousand  years 
a  watch  in  the  night,  we  may  call  (as  Paul  does  in  Rom.  13: 
12)  the  whole  period  of  the  world's  existence  since  the  fall 
and  the  curse,  the  night,  and  we  may  look  forward  to  the 
coming  kingdom  of  God  as  the  approaching  day,  "The  night  is 
far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand,"  &c.  Elegantly,  therefore,  may 
this  word  (Trag^tTx^iis-K)  be  used  to  signify  a  watch  or  a  stated 
interval,  in  this  larger  night  of  the  world's  apostacy,  and  of 
God's  displeasure  towards  it.  It  has  not  been  restricted  by 
usage  to  any  particular  interval,  and  would,  therefore,  be 
suitable  (if  such  were  the  intention)  to  mark  any  determinate 
period,  however  large,  upon  the  scheme  of  the  ages,  or  dispen- 
sations which  God  has  appointed  and  arranged,  Heb.  1:  2. 
Eph.  2:  7.  In  confirmation  of  this  suggestion  it  may  be 
observed  that  the  word  7r-j.gsLT>i^ia>  is  used  (in  Gal.  4:  10)  to 
express  the  solemn  and  religious  manner  in  which  the  Jews 
kept  their  festivals,  and  other  solemn  periods — "Ye  observe 
(7r=(g:tT;ig1/cr6s)  days,  and  months,  and  times  and  years."  These 
solemn  periods  came  after  stated  intervals,  which  were  all 
marked  upon  the  Jewish  calendar.  But  how  could  it  be 
known  when  these  solemn  occasions  arrived?  Only  by  dcr 
noting  the  efllux  of  time  from  one  festival  to  another.  How, 
for  example,  would  the  year  of  jubilee  be  known,  but  by 
noting  the  efflux  of  years  from  the  last  year  of  jubilee;  and 
how  could  it  be  known  precisely  when  any  year  was  complete, 
but  by  noting  the  efflux  of  months  or  days  from  its  beginning? 
It  is  upon  the  interval,  therefore,  that  the  mind  must  be  fixed, 
— the  efflux  of  that,  must  be  watched  and  noted,  otherwise  the 
time  of  its  expiring  will  not  be  known.  B}^  an  easy  and 
natural  figure,  the  word  expressing  the  act  of  watching  (<^t/?.«crj-*v) 
through  a  stated  interval,  may  be  used  to  express  the  interval 
itself,  (as  <^vKa)i>,  vigilia,)  and  such,  it  is  suggested,  may  be  the 
figurative  sense  of  the  word  7r5tgaT);g«o-«  in  this  place.  But  if 
such  be  the  meaning  of  the  word,  the  preposition  (^cst*)  should 
not  be  translated  "with"  but  after.  It  may  be  objected,  how- 
ever, that  fj.iTA  when  followed  by  a  genitive  is  translated  with, 
whereas  when  it  signifies  after,  it  is  followed  by  a  noun  in  the 
accusative,  relating  to  time,  as  in  Matth.  27:  63.    "After  {/^^c) 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  51 

three  days,  I  will  rise  again,"  Matth.  1:  12,  "after  (//st*)  the 
carrying  away  of  Babylon."  But  ^sra  is  not  uniformly  trans- 
lated zvilh  when  followed  by  a  genitive.  Thus  we  have  the 
phrase  in  classical  Greek,  ^sT'ow^ovT^vTav,  "brevi  post  hasce  res 
tempore,"  shorlly  after  these  things  were  doiie.  In  this  expres- 
sion oKiycv  really  qualifies  /.tsra — (paulo  post)  and  tcvtw  is  really 
governed  by  /uira.  thus  qualified.  Or  we  may  consider  the 
expression  under  consideration  elliptical,  (and  this  is  perhaps 
the  just  view  of  it,)  and  supply  the  word  km^ov  or  x^''^'"^  ^^  ^ 
word  of  similar  meaning.  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not 
after  (/uita  Kai^cv  Tra.^u.'ngijTia);)  SL  seusoii,  period,  slated  i7iterval  of 
(watching)  observation,  as  your  years  of  jubilee  do,  &c. 

It  may  be  added,  this  word  is  also  used  by  Diodorus  Siculus 
in  connexion  with  objects  or  events  which  naturally  occur  at 
stated  intervals,  which  must  have  been  ascertained  by  the 
careful  observation  and  notation  of  time:  such  as  the  rising  of 
the   Nile,    and    the    rising    of  fixed    stars,  at  Tm  aa-T^m  u^x'^torarat 

TTsL^j.'TH^-na-ii;,  pa.     6,  D.  ,   ix.  voKKm  Xi''^'^''  "^"^  ^agiT«g>;o-sa)C  vagA  Tot;  AiyuTTTloic 

ctv^yiy^niuium;,  pa.  23,  C.  If  this  word  then,  be  proper  to  denote 
the  action,  of  giving  and  continuing  the  attention  through  a 
fixed  interval,  it  may,  consistently  with  the  laws  of  language, 
be  used  to  signify  the  interval  itself.  This  is  proved  incontesti- 
bly  by  the  use  of  the  kindred  words  <?uxax;»,  vigilia,  watch,  to 
signify  the  fourth  part  of  the  night.  If  the  reader  should 
hesitate  to  give  his  assent  to  these  suggestions,  we  would  ask 
him  to  consider  whether  the  meanings  commonly  given  to  the 
word  observatioTi  in  this  place,  are  not  more  unnatural,  and  far 
fetched?  Open  the  commentators,  and  write  down  in  order 
the  various  meanings  they  give  to  this  word.  Observation 
means  "an  external  and  terrene  splendour  of  majesty,"  "an 
illustrious  conspicuous  pomp,"  "a  noted  or  illustrious  and 
observable  thing,"  "conspicuousness  by  outward  splendour 
and  display,"  "outward  show."  But  these  meanings  cannot 
be  extracted  from  the  word,  and  as  a  further  proof  of  it,  the 
reader  may  be  challenged  to  produce  another  place,  either  in 
sacred  or  secular  literature  where  any  critic  has  attempted  to 
force  any  one  of  these  meanings  either  upon  the  word  5rag*T»g»s-;c 
or   observatio.*      Without    being   tenacious,    therefore,   of  the 

*  "Michaelis  says,  there  is  no  classical  example  of  this  word  (^rctgaT.),  but 
Kypke  has  produced  three,  from  Plutarch,  Antoninus  and  Longinus,  to  which 
Bishop  Marsh  adds  a  fourth  from  Arrian.  The  sense  prevailing  in  those 
passages  is  attention,  observation,  which  does  not  seem  suitable  here.  I  there- 
fore prefer  the  interpretation  of  others:  nametij,  splendour,  po7}ip,  which  faUs 
under  observation,  or  by  its  appearance  particularly  strikes  the  senses," 
BloomfielcVs  Crit.  Dig.  in  loco.  The  interpretation  which  Dr.  Bloomfield 
prefers  is,  by  his  own  shewing,  conjectural.  It  is  not  the  classical  sense,  and 
this  is  the  only  place  in  the  IS'.  T.  where  the  word  occurs.  But  Dr.  Bloom- 
field  understands  the  phrase  "Kingdom  of  God,"  in  the  Jewish  sense,  for  the 


52  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

meaning  suggested  in  this  essay,  it  appears  to  be  much  less 
objectionable  than  those  which  are  commonly  preferred. 

What  then  are  we  to  understand  by  this  expression,  "The 
kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observation."  By  the 
kingdom  of  God,  we  are  to  understand  the  glorious  kingdom 
which  God  will  establish  on  earth  under  the  reign  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  This  kingdom  cometh  not  after  a  known,  stated 
interval,  like  the  festivals,  to  which  the  Pharisees  were  so 
much  accustomed — it  cometh  not  like  the  year  of  jubilee, 
(which  was  typical  of  Messiah's  kingdom,)  the  approach  of 
which  could  be  accurately  noted: — it  cometh  not  like  the 
morning,  whose  approach  may  be  determined  by  the  efflux  of 
the  successive  watches  of  the  night:  It  cometh  not  after  a  set 
time,  a  revealed  interval  which  can  be  observed.  The  answer 
thus  understood,  denies  the  information  which  the  Pharisees 
demanded,  and  this  we  should  expect,  if  the  inquiry  related  to 
the  glorious  kingdom  of  Messiah. 

It  is  an  objection  to  the  common  interpretation,  that  it 
makes  our  Lord's  reply  to  the  question  tautologous.  The 
kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observation,  neither  shall 
they  say  Lo  here!  or  Lo  there!  The  kingdom  of  God  being 
spiritual,  and  the  work  of  the  spirit  on  the  hearts  of  men  not 
being  the  subject  of  ocular  inspection,  its  nature  forbids  that  it 
should  be  announced  by  one  to  another,  saying  Lo  here!  or 
Lo  there!  This  is  pretty  much  the  same  idea  as  that  derived 
bv  the  common  interpretation  from  the  words  "without  obser- 
vation"— But  this  expression  was  added  to  make  the  answer 
full  and  perfect.  It  means,  that  it  will  not  come  in  such  a 
way  as  to  be  a  sign  of  its  own  approach,  so  that  men  may  say 
of  it,  Lo!  here  it  comes!  Lo!  there  it  comes!  If  the  kingdom 
were  to  come  like  a  visible  object;  if  for  example,  it  were  to 
approach  as  a  cloud  borne  onward  (even  with  the  rapidity  of  a 
tempest)  from  the  horizon,  men  would  have  some,  though  brief, 
premonition  of  its  approach.  But  the  sign  of  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  Man,  zvill  be  the  Son  of  Man  in  heaven,  Matth.  24: 
30.  The  kingdom  will  come  as  the  lightning  which  in  an 
instant,  too  brief  to  be  noted  before  it  is  gone,  shoots  athwart 
the  heaven,  and  is  seen  by  one  observer  as  soon  as  by  another, 
and  before  either  can  say  to  the  other,  Lo  here!  or  Lo  there! 

appearance  and  manifestalion  of  King  Messiah,  where  it  occurs  in  the  ques- 
tion, and  indeed  we  can  hardly  suppose  the  Pharisees  could  put  the  question 
in  any  other  sense.  But  the  plirase  "kingdom  of  God,"  in  the  answer  of  our 
Lord,  he  evidently  understands  in  what  is  called  the  gospel  sense — that  is,  in  a 
sense  which  seems  suitable  to  the  present  dispensation.  But  the  writer 
believes  that  the  Lord  Jesus  did  not  speak  of  this  present  dispensation,  but  of 
his  future  glorious  reign  as  Messiah.  The  sense  of  the  word  (^agotr.)  whiph 
has  been  contended  for,  has  at  least  analogy  to  support  it. 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD.  53 

The  two  expressions  then  taken  together,  amount  to  this; 
that  by  no  possible  means  could  the  Pharisees  get  any  previous 
information  as  to  the  time  of  the  actual  coming  of  Messiah's 
glorious  kingdom;  neither  by  watching  the  efflux  of  time,  nor 
by  watching  external  objects.  Not  by  the  former  means, 
because  the  interval  upon  which  its  coming  depends  is  not 
revealed,  and  never  will  be,  till  the  kingdom  actually  comes 
in  open  manifestation — Not  by  watching  external  objects, 
because  the  manner  of  its  manifestation  will  altogether  preclude 
the  possibility  of  such  premonitions  or  notices. 

It  has  been  already  suggested,  that  the  remaining  expression 
in  our  Lord's  reply  is  not,  properly  speaking,  an  answer  to 
the  question  proposed  to  him,  but  is  in  fact,  a  reiteration  of  the 
great  doctrine  with  which  he  commenced  his  public  ministry. 
It  was  suggested  also,  that  the  expression  may  be  translated 
so  as  to  give  it  an  adversative  sense,  which  was  called  for  by 
the  denial  "that  the  kingdom  of  God  had  come,"  implied  in  pro- 
pounding the  question  to  which  our  Lord  replied  with  so 
much  meekness,  adding — "But  indeed  the  kingdom  of  God 
has  come  to  you." 

Yet  if  the  reader  should,  after  all,  reject  this  explanation  of 
the  expression  (^stu Tragarx^xs-sa)!:,  cum  observalio7ie)  "cometh  not 
with  observation,"  it  would  not  follow  that  he  ought  also  to 
understand  by  the  "kingdom  of  God,"  the  present  gospel  dis- 
pensation: For  there  is  another  sense  (as  has  been  shewn 
already)  in  which  the  glorious  kingdom  of  Messiah  cometh 
not  with  observation,  because  it  cometh  at  the  conclusion  of  this 
economy,  the  progress  of  which  cannot  be  observed.  It 
cometh  not  (ita  ut  observetur  externis  circumstantiis  si  animus 
advertatur)  "in  such  manner  that  it  may  be  observed  by 
external  circumstances,"  because  this  economy  furnishes  no 
circumstances  which  can  denote  its  own  approach  towards 
completion,  and  consequently,  not  any  circumstances  which 
denote  the  approach  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  will  imme- 
diately succeed  this  economy.  And  assuming  (what  we  think 
we  have  proved)  that  the  kingdom  intended  in  this  passage,  is 
the  future  glorious  kingdom  of  Messiah,  this  explanation  of  the 
words,  (if  it  be  not  their  very  sense,)  is  according  to  the  truth 
of  the  case.  For  consider  this:  had  our  Lord  in  framing-  his 
answer  looked  exclusively  to  men,  he  would  have  replied,  the 
kingdom  of  God  would  never  come.  He  might  have  said  to 
the  Pharisees  "God  has  already  brought  this  kingdom  nigh, 
and  has  freely  and  atfectionately  offered  it  to  your  nation. 
But  your  nation  will  not  accept  it.  As  far,  therefore,  as  it 
depends  upon  the  will  of  your  nation,  it  will  never  come. 
But  it  is  God's  purpose  in  a  little  time,  to  offer  this  kingdom 
44* 


54  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

to  the  Gentiles,  yet  they  are  by  nature  like  yourselves,  and 
they  too,  if  left  to  themselves,  will  reject  it  also:  When  then 
will  this  kingdom  come?  Never;  if  its  coming  is  to  depend 
on  the  spontaneous  acceptance  of  depraved  men.  It  is  God's 
purpose,  however,  to  establish  an  economy  of  grace,  which 
shall  be  carried  on  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  the  meantime  I 
shall  return  to  the  Father,  and  the  kingdom  will  be  removed 
from  you.  Large  numbers  will  be  constrained  by  the  Holy 
Spirit's  influence,  freely  to  embrace  the  offer  of  the  kingdom, 
and  as  the  work  of  the  Spirit  advances,  the  kingdom,  which 
is  now  only  relatively  nigh  to  your  nation,  will  draw  absolutely 
nigh  to  the  world;  so  that  when  1  come  again  in  this  kingdom 
which  I  now  offer,  I  shall  find  a  people  prepared  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  made  willing  to  receive  me  in  that  day 
of  my  coming  in  power,  Ps.  110:  3.  And  when  this  economy 
of  grace  shall  be  fulfilled,  by  the  accomplishment  of  the  num- 
ber of  another  elect  nation,  which  shall  so  be  prepared  and 
made  willing  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  receive  me,  then  the 
kingdom  of  God  shall  come.  But  if  you  will  not  accept  the 
kingdom,  it  is  not  for  you  to  inquire  when  the  kingdom  will 
come,  nor  upon  whom  God  will  bestow  it." 

Certainly  the  Saviour,  in  framing  his. answer,  had  a  tacit 
respect  to  the  economy  of  grace,  which  was  about  to  be  esta- 
blished. The  common  opinion  is  that  he  actually  spoke  of  it 
under  the  name  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  belief  of  the 
writer  is,  however,  that  he  tacitly  referred  to  it  as  a  means  to 
an  end,  which  end  was  the  kingdom  of  God,  about  which  the 
Pharisees  inquired,  and  of  which  only  he  spoke.  He  made 
no  open  allusion  to  the  call  of  the  Gentiles.  The  details  of  this 
economy  he  never  revealed.  They  were  unknown  to  the 
apostles.  They  are  of  course  equally  unknown  to  us.  They 
knew  not  the  times  nor  the  seasons  appointed  in  reference 
to  this  economy.  They  did  not  know  but  that  God  would 
gather  the  elect  nation  out  of  the  generation  of  men  then  alive, 
or  out  of  that  and  the  next,  or  out  of  that  and  the  next  two,  or 
next  ten,  or  next  fifty.  God  did  not  reveal  to  them  his  pur- 
pose in  that  behalf,  nor  did  he  reveal  the  number  of  his  elect, 
nor  the  times  in  which,  nor  the  extent  to  which,  his  Spirit 
should  operate  on  the  hearts  of  men  in  constraining  them 
freely  to  yield  to  Christ  the  obedience  of  faith.  Evidently, 
therefore,  it  was  vain  to  inquire  about  the  time  of  the  coming 
of  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  though  its  approach  could  be  cal- 
culated, by  the  effluxes  of  a  chronological  period,  or  be  dis- 
cerned by  the  progress  of  the  economy  of  grace,  of  which  it 
will  be,  so  to  speak,  the  matured  fruit. 

The  sum  of  what  has  been  said  upon  this  passage  of  scrip- 


OP  THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD.  55 

lure,  may  be  briefly  staled  thus:  The  kingdom  about  which 
the  Pharisees  inquired,  and  to  which  our  Lord  had  respect 
in  his  answer,  was  the  kingdom  which  at  first  was  preached 
by  John  the  Baptist — and  afterwards  by  our  Lord  himself 
and  by  his  disciples.  It  was  the  same  which  our  Lord,  near 
the  close  of  his  public  ministry  among  the  Jews,  declared 
should  be  taken  from  them  and  given  to  another  nation  bring- 
ing forth  the  fruits  thereof.  That  kingdom  was  not  the 
Christian  church,  or  the  present  economy  of  the  gospel,  in 
which  the  Jews  have  equal  but  no  greater  privileges  than  the 
Gentiles,  but  it  was  the  glorious  kingdom  of  the  Messiah, 
which  will  not  be  established  upon  the  earth  till  the  second 
advent  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  power  and  great  glory.  Of  this 
glorious  and  yet  future  kingdom,  our  Lord  affirmed  that  it 
Cometh  not  with  observation,  that  is,  it  cometh  not  at  the  close 
of  a  revealed  interval,  the  effluxes  of  which  can  be  observed, 
neither  will  it  draw  nigh  by  gradual  and  visible  approaches, 
and  thus  become  a  sign  of  its  own  coming,  so  that  one  can 
point  it  out  to  another — saying  Lo  here  it  comes,  or  Lo  there: 
The  interval  which  actually  existed  between  the  time  when 
this  question  was  put,  and  the  time  of  the  actual  manifestation 
of  the  kingdom  of  God,  was  the  little  portion  which  remained 
of  his  own  personal  ministry,  and  the  present  dispensation. 
But  the  length  of  this  dispensation  is  not  given, — we  only 
know  that  it  will  continue  until  the  church  of  the  first  born, 
or  the  mystical  body  shall  be  completed,  under  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  Spirit.  Of  course,  as  we  cannot  know  how  long 
this  dispensation  is  to  continue,  we  cannot  know,  by  the  time 
elapsed  since  its  commencement,  how  far  we  are  from  the  end 
of  it,  and  as  we  cannot  discern  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  and  are 
not  informed  what  numbers  it  will  embrace,  nor  to  how  many 
generations  it  will  extend,  we  cannot  know  either  how  much 
the  Spirit  has  accomplished,  nor  how  much  of  his  work 
remains.  The  last  clause  of  the  answer  is  not  directly  called 
for  by  the  question,  but  it  was  added  on  account  of  the  denial 
of  his  principal  doctrine,  which  was  implied  by  the  question. 
It  is  in  fact  a  reiteration  of  the  doctrine,  which  he  at  first 
began  to  preach,  and  the  expression,  as  we  have  shown,  should 
be  translated,  "but  indeed  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  to 
you,"  or  "is  come  among  you." 

Some  of  the  bearings  of  the  doctrine  contended  for,  in  this 
and  the  preceding  essays,  have  already  been  adverted  to.  In 
the  first  place,  it  was  said,  that  it  illustrates  and  enforces  the 
doctrine  of  the  depravity  of  the  human  heart,  and  the  doctrine 
of  election — that  it  explains  why  our  Lord's  ministry  was 
confined   to  the  Jewish   nation,  and   why  the   kingdom   was 


56  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

offered  to  that  people  exclusively  in  the  first  instance;  that  it 
furnishes  a  reason  why  Israel  has  been  preserved  thus  far  as  a 
distinct  people,  and  will  be  so  preserved  until  the  advent  of 
Christ  in  power  and  glory;  and  it  serves  to  teach  us  humility 
and  to  be  tender  hearted  towards  God's  ancient  covenant 
people.  There  are  several  other  points  of  doctrine  upon 
which  the  discussion  has  an  important  bearing.  Some  of  these 
will  be  briefly  mentioned. 

1.  The  opinion  that  none  but  temporal  rewards  were  pro- 
mised to  the  Jews  under  the  Levitical  economy  is  not  well 
founded.  They  were  promised  the  blessings  of  Messiah's 
kingdom — the  very  kingdom  now  preached  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  which  contained  all  those  blessings  which  are  now 
urged  upon  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  as  motives  to  accept 
it;  and  which  kingdom,  since  it  was  rejected  by  the  Jews, 
will  not  be  manifested  until  the  second  advent.  The  parable 
of  the  marriage,  under  the  imagery  of  oxen  and  fatlings,  and 
other  things  proper  to  a  feast,  represents  the  blessings  which, 
at  first,  were  offered  to  the  Jews,  and  afterwards  to  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  indiscriminately.  There  is  no  change  in  the 
good  things  prepared.  The  change  is  in  the  persons  designed 
to  partake  of  them.  A  further  proof  may  be  cited  from  1  Pet. 
2:  9,  where  he  quotes  Exod.  1 9:  6,  and  applies  it  to  Christians — 
"Ye  are — a  royal  priesthood — a  holy  nation,"  &c.  (iiuathitcv  n^iri-jjuct, 
iSvo;  i-yiov.  See  Ixx.  Ex.  19:  6,)  shewing  that  Christians  are 
substituted  for  the  Jewish  nation,  to  whom  it  was  promised 
originally  upon  condition  of  obedience,  that  they  should  be- 
come ''the  royal  priesthood  and  holy  nation."  And  the 
apostle  here  probably  alludes  not  only  to  Exod.  19:  6,  but  to 
the  words  of  our  Lord  recorded  in  Matth.  21:  42,  43,  as  the 
reader  may  perceive  by  comparing  these  two  verses  with  1 
Pet.  2:  8,  9.  Besides,  the  blessing  of  being  made  kings  and 
priests  unto  God,  which  is  the  idea  of  a  royal  priesthood,  is 
several  times  mentioned  in  the  Revelation  as  the  rewards 
which  the  saints  will  receive,  Rev.  1:  6 — 5:  10 — 20:  6. 

2.  We  see  a  reason  for  the  uncertain  duration  of  the  present 
economy,  and  are  enabled  better  to  understand  why  the  early 
Christians  were  impressed  with  a  belief  of  the  nearness  of 
Christ's  second  advent.  If  these  views  are  correct,  we  are 
not  authorized  by  the  scriptures  to  say,  that  a  thousand  years 
or  any  other  period  must  elapse  before  the  coming  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  But  this  subject  requires  a  more  extended 
discussion  than  would  be  proper  in  this  place.  It  will  form 
the  subject  of  another  essay. 

3.  Tliis  doctrine  also  shews  that  the  world  holds  its  present 
condition  by  the  sufferance  of  God.     The  time  of  the  fourth 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD.  57 

kingdom  was  fulfilled  when  Christ  came  preaching  the  king- 
dom of  God— the  times  of  that  kingdom  have  been  prolonged 
in  consequence  (so  to  speak)  of  the  unfaithfulness  of  Israel. 
Their  unfaithfulness  (speaking  after  the  manner  of  men) 
created  a  new  exigency,  and  required  a  new  dispensation,  m 
order  to  give  opportunity  to  gather  another  elect  nation,  {viz. 
the  church,)  from  among  the  heathen.  It  is,  therefore,  for  the 
sake  of  this  church  that  the  day  of  God's  wrath  is  yet  deferred 
— As  it  was  for  Lot's  sake,  Sodom  was  spared  during  a  little 
space,  (Gen.  19:  22,)  so  it  is  for  the  sake  of  his  elect,  that 
God  now  restrains  his  wrath  against  the  world.  This  is  dis- 
tinctly taught  in  Luke  IS:  1-S,  which  belongs  to  the  context 
of  the  passage  we  have  considered,  and  2  Pet.  3:  9,  15,  when 
rightly  understood. 

4.  These  views  also  furnish  a  means  of  forming  a  correct 
estimate  of  state-established  religions.  The  gospel  of  the 
kingdom  was  preached  to  the  Jews  as  a  nalion.  Their  state 
being  a  theocracy,  their  religion  was  their  law.  They  were 
called  upon  nationally  to  accept  of  Christ  and  his  kingdom, 
which  had  come  nigh  to  them.  But  since  the  fall  and  disper- 
sion of  that  nation,  the  gospel  has  been  preached  to  individuals 
among  all  nations,  but  not  to  nations  as  such/^  The  Gentiles, 
therefore,  are  not  called  upon  to  establish  the  gospel  by  lavv, 
but  individuals  (composing  the  nations)  to  whom  the  gospel  is 
sent,  are  called  upon  to  embrace  Christ  and  come  out  from 
among  the  ungodly,  by  whom  they  are  surrounded,  and  be  a 
peculiar  people  unto  God.  Those  who  shall  believe  will  be 
gathered  out  of  the  nations,  and,  like  the  newly  invited  guests, 
in  the  parable  of  the  marriage,  will  form  a  new  community, 
which  shall  take  the  place  originally  offered  to  the  Jewish 
nation.  Besides,  as  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  are  prolonged 
by  the  mere  forbearance  of  God,  and  as  the  apostate  nations 
of  Christendom  themselves  shall  be  violently  destroyed,  as 
the  enemies  of  Christ,  when  the  church  shall  be  completed, 
to  unite  the  church  to  the  secular  governments  of  the  earth,  is 
the  same  thing  as  to  unite  it  to  powers  hostile  to  it,  and  hostile 
to  Christ  the  Head  of  the  church.  The  union  must  therefore 
cease,  before  the  Lord  comes  to  destroy  the  nations,  or  the 
churches  allied  with  them  must  fall  in  a  common  ruin.  Thus 
much  is  intimated  by  the  symbol  of  the  fourth  empire.     The 

*  The  same  thought  is  expressed  in  Warburton's  Julian,  Book  I.  chap.  I— 
"that  religion  which  elsewere,  has  only  particulars  for  its  subjects,  had  here 
(i.  e.  among  the  Jews  while  they  subsisted  as  a  body  politic,)  a  nation  or 
community,  and  what  elsewhere,  as  far  as  concerns  the  Divine  origin  of 
religion  is  a  private  matter,  was  here  a  public."  This  author,  however, 
accounts  for  the  fact,  in  a  manner  quite  diiferent  from  that  suggested  in  this 
essay. 


58  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

little  horn  which  was  diverse  from  the  rest,  being  a  part  of 
the  beast,  and  being  in  union  with  the  other  horns,  was 
destroyed  by  the  same  judgment  which  destroyed  the  body 
and  the  other  horns  of  the  beast.  Dan.  7th  chap.  However 
much  states  or  nations  may  have  been  benefitted  by  the  esta- 
blishment of  religion  by  law,  the  church  itself,  has  always 
suffered  from  the  union,  being  corrupted  thereby;  and  this 
effect  upon  tlie  church,  besides  causing  positive  mischiefs  of 
enormous  magnitude  to  the  nations  of  Christendom,  has  de- 
prived them  of  the  salutary  influence  which  an  uncorrupted 
church  would  have  exerted.* 

5.  This  explanation  of  the  place  we  have  been  considering, 
enables  us  better  to  understand  the  preaching  of  our  Lord  to 
the  Jews.  He  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the  truth  of 
God,  to  coiifirm  the  promises  unto  the  Fathers,  Rom.  15:  8. 
Being  a  minister  of  the  circumcision,  his  ministry  fell  within 
the  period  allotted  for  the  duration  of  the  Levitical  economy, 
and  was  confined  to  the  Jewish  people — and  the  object  of  iiis 
mission,  being  to  confirm  the  promises  unto  the  fathers,  (or  the 
promises  made  unto  the  fathers,)  it  of  necessity  included  the 
offer  of  tlie  kingdom,  which  was  the  great  promise  in  which 
all  others  centred.  The  miracles  which  he  performed,  proved 
him  to  be  the  Messiah,  and  to  be  invested  with  the  right  to 
confer  the  kingdom  upon  the  nation  and  establish  it  over 
them,  if  they  would  receive  him.  And  most  of  his  public 
acts  and  declarations,  had  respect  to  the  office  of  preaching 
this  kingdom.  But  while  he  laboured  assiduously  and  with 
the  most  affectionate  solicitude  to  prevail  upon  the  nation  to 
receive  him  and  his  kingdom,  he  knew  from  the  beginning 
what  would  be  the  result  of  his  ministry,  both  to  the  Jewish 
nation  and  to  the  world  at  large,  and  many  of  his  declarations 
proceed  upon  the  assumption  of  the  foreseen  event.  The 
passage  we  have  been  considering  contains  an  example  of  both 
kinds.  Having  the  event  of  his  ministry  in  view,  he  told 
the  Pharisees,  "The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  obser- 
vation," and  then  he  adds,  "the  kingdom  of  God  has  come." 

♦  Such  texts  as  Lsaiali  49:  23—52:  15— GO:  3,  10,  11,  IG— 02:  2.  Ps.  72:  9,  10, 
11—138:  4.  Rev.  21:  21,  2G,  are  unfulfilled  prophecy.  They  are  descriptive  of 
the  condition  of  thing.s  in  the  "world  to  come," — the  millennial  dispensation  or 
the  yet  future  kingdonr  of  God.  Yet  Cornelius  a  Lapide,  (in  2  Thess.  2:  4,) 
when  speaking  of  the  honour  shewn  to  the  chief  pontiff  of  the  Roman 
church  (justifying  it)  says,  "Denique  hunc  honorcin  et  reverenliam,  Ecclesia? 
in  suo  capite  Pontifice  a  rcgibus  esse  deferendum,  prcedixit  Isaias,  cap.  49: 
23."  "And  kings  shall  be  thy  nursing  fathers  and  queens  thy  nursing 
mothers,  they  shall  bow  down  to  thee  with  their  face  towards  the  earth  and 
lick  up  the  dust  of  thy  feet.''  Those  Protestants  who  agree  in^assigning  these 
prophecies  to  the  present  dispensation,  give  a  great  handle  to  the  Romanists: 
for  surely  if  any  church  has  received  such  honours,  or  is  likely  to  receive  such 
honours  as  these  from  the  kings  of  the  earth,  it  is  the  Roman  church. 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD.  59 

The  last  expression  he  added  by  virtue  of  his  office  as  a 
preacher  of  the  kingdom,  and  virtually  it  was  a  renewed  offer 
of  that  kingdom.  Many  passages  may  be  cited  in  which  the 
Lord  predicts  his  own  sufferings  and  death,  (Matth.  20:  17, 
20 — 21:  33,41,  John  12:  32,  34,)  sometimes  in  plain  language, 
sometimes  by  way  of  parable.  Now  how  can  such  passages 
be  reconciled  with  the  opinion,  that  Christ  came  in  the  flesh 
to  offer  and  to  establish  his  glorious  kingdom  over  Israel? 
The  answer  which  the  foregoing  discussion  suggests  is,  that 
the  offers  of  the  kingdom  were  made  in  fulfilment  of  the  pro- 
mise which  God  had  made  to  the  fathers  of  that  nation.  He 
did  not  dispense  himself  (if  we  may  so  speak)  from  making 
the  offer  on  the  ground  of  the  foreseen  rejection  of  the  king- 
dom by  the  nation:  While  on  the  other  hand,  the  predictions 
which  Christ  made  of  his  own  sufferings,  and  death,  and  those 
passages  which  purport  that  he  came  to  suffer,  proceed  upon 
the  ground  of  the  foreseen  infidelity  of  the  nation.  We  may 
take  the  same  distinction,  in  respect  to  many  of  the  prophecies 
of  the  Old  Testament,  but  the  subject  is  too  large  to  be  de- 
veloped in  this  place. 

There  was  a  necessity  that  Christ  should  suffer,  before  he 
should  enter  into  his  glory.  In  fact  we  cannot  conceive,  how 
the  promises  could  have  been  performed  to  the  fathers  and  the 
pious  dead  of  that  nation,  without  a  resurrection.  Nor  can 
we  see  how  there  could  be  a  resurrection,  except  Christ  had 
died  and  had  become  the  first  fruits,  (1  Cor.  15:  23.)  May 
we  not  say  then,  it  was  not  more  certain  that  numbers  of  the 
pious  of  former  generations  of  that  nation  had  died,  than  that 
the  generation  to  whom  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  went,  would 
reject  him?  Does  not  Peter  say  as  much  in  Acts  2:  23? 
"Him  being  delivered  by  the  delerminate  counsel  and  fore- 
knowledge of  God,  5^6  have  taken,  and  laith  wicked  hafids  have 
crucified  and  slain."  See  John  3:  14.  Yet  for  all  that,  Christ 
offered  the  kingdom  to  the  Jewish  nation,  just  as  though  it 
were  not  certain  they  would  reject  it,  while  the  nation,  though 
it  was  certain  they  would  reject  it,  were  guilty  in  doing  so, 
and  drew  down  upon  themselves  the  severe  and  long  con- 
tinued judgments  of  God.  On  the  other  hand:  when  advert- 
ing to  the  issue  and  event  of  his  ministry  among  the  Jews, 
and  its  consequences  to  them  as  a  nation,  as  well  as  to  the 
world,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  spoke  of  these  as  equally  within 
the  design  of  his  incarnation,  and  as  the  very  means  which  the 
infinite  wisdom  of  God  had  provided  for  the  extirpation  of 
sin,  and  the  renovation  of  the  world  and  its  restoration  to  the 
forfeited  favour  of  God.  See  note  A.  at  the-end  of  this  essay. 
G.  If  these  views  are  agreeable  to  the  scriptures,  they  prove 


QQ  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

that  the  great  salvation  offered  to  us  in  the  gospel  of  the  king- 
dom of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  will  not  be  attained  by  the 
whole  human  family.  We  have  seen  that  this  gospel  was,  at 
the  first,  confined  to  one  nation.  Had  that  nation  accepted  it, 
they  would  have  become  the  saved  nation,  and  the  sole  in- 
heritors of  the  blessings  of  the  kingdom,  while  upon  the 
kingdoms  represented  by  the  image,  (see  Dan.  2,)  would  have 
fallen  the  severe  judgments  of  God.  But  Israel,  according  to 
the  flesh,  as  a  nation,  rejected  the  kingdom,  and  thereby  lost 
it,  and  while  some  received  Christ,  and  received  from  liim 
power  to  become  sons  of  God,  John  1:  12,  multitudes  died 
in  their  sins,  of  whom  we  can  entertain  less  hope,  than  of  the 
heathens  who  never  despised  so  great  privileges,  Matth.  12:  41, 
42_22:  13to  36— 11:  20,  23.  Luke  10:  13,  16.  Rom.  9:  27 — 
11:2,4.  1  Thess.  2: 14, 16.  Rev.  7:  3,  9.  But  the  nation  having 
rejected  the  kingdom,  a  new  dispensation  was  opened  for  the 
gathering  of  a  people  who,  through  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  shall  be  made  willing  to  receive  Christ  and  his  kingdom, 
when  he  shall  come  again.  This  substituted  people  are  called 
in  Gal.  6:16,  "the  Israel  of  God."  The  word  Israel,  is  a 
name  of  national  distinction,  and  can  never  be  understood  to 
signify  the  whole  human  race.  Yet  none  but  the  Israel  of 
God  will  inherit  this  kingdom,  for  they  only  will  inherit  the 
promise  made  to  Israel,  according  to  the  flesh  in  Exod.  19:  5, 
6,  viz.  that  they  shall  be  a  peculiar  people,  which  certainly 
implies  that  there  will  be  other  people  who  shall  have  no  part 
in  these  privileges. 

7.  Finally,  we  may  observe  a  difference  between  the  rejec- 
tion of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  his  kingdom,  by  the  Jews  as  a 
nation,  when  he  came  to  them  personally,  and  the  rejection  of 
him  and  his  kingdom  by  sinners  under  this  economy  of  the 
Spirit.  The  voluntary,  and  guilty  rejection  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
by  the  Jewish  nation,  was  an  event  which  lay  in  the  train  of 
means  appointed  for  the  redemption  and  salvation  of  the  lost 
race  of  Adam.  No  nation  ever  before  or  since  were  placed 
in  such  a  position,  or  under  such  momentous  responsibilities, 
as  were  the  Jews  of  that  generation  to  whom  the  kingdom 
was  (not  prophesied  of,  as  future,  but)  preached  as  come. 
While  the  Jews  sinned  awfully  in  crucifying  the  Lord  of 
Glory,  his  sufferings  and  death  caused  by  that  sin,  were  an 
ample  provision  for  its  atonement  and  pardon.  Our  blessed 
Lord  while  on  the  cross  prayed  for  them,  "Father  forgive 
them  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  And  this  may  help 
to  explain  why  the  sins  they  committed  against  the  person  of 
the  Son  of  Man,  could  be  forgiven,  while  the  sins  wliich  they 
afterwards  committed  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  could   not  be 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  61 

foro-iven.     But  the  rejection  of  Christ  by  sinners  now,  (during 
thl? dispensation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,)  does   not  lie  in  thetrat7i 
of  means,  leading  to   the  atonement.     If  Christ  be  rejected 
now,  it  is   not  followed  by  an  act  of  atonement;   and  though 
from  the  identity  of  its  nature,  with  the  sin  of  the  Jews,  who 
rejected  him  in  person,  it  is  called  by  the  apostle  (Heb.  6:  b) 
crucifying  him  afresh,  yet  God  has  provided  no  way  in  vvhich 
it  can  be  pardoned.      It  does  not  effect  that  which  atones  for  it. 
There  remaineth  not  to  us,  (if  we  crucify  the  Lord  afresh,  as 
there  remained  to  the  Jews  who  rejected  him  in  the  flesh,  aiid 
delivered  him  to  the  Gentiles,)  a  (8.^;a)  sacrifice  for  the  sin, 
but   the   next  great  event   (since  the  death,  resurrection  and 
ascension   of  our  Lord)   in   God's  arrangement,  is   a  teartu 
looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation  at  the  second 
advent  of  the  Lord,  when  he  shall  come  without  sin  unto  the 
salvation  of  those  who  look  for  him  and  to  establish  his  king- 
dom on  the  ruins  of  every  hostile  power. 


NOTE  A,  TO  PAGE  59. 

In  order  to  appreciate  this  remark,  the  reader  should  separate  (at  least 
in  his  own  mind)  under  distinct  heads,  the  piMic  and  the  private  teachings 
and  acUngs  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  There  is  a  marked  distmclion  between  these 
different  portions  of  the  gospels.  To  the  multitudes  he  spoke  m  parables, 
an^SLJu  a  parable  spa1<eL  not  unto  them,  Matth.  13:  34  but  when  alone 
S  his  disci Jles  he  expounded  all  things  unto  them,  Mark  4:  34.  Luke  8: 
10  To  his  disciples  in  private,  he  predicted  his  own  rejection  and  crucifixion 
n  plain  terms,  Luke  18:  31,  34-9:  2'2,  but  to  the  people  in  public  he  announced 
he  event  bv  ak  allegorv,  John  2: 19.  The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  of  the 
emple  and  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  he  foretold  to  his  disc-iples  privately, 
wUh  -reat  minuteness,  at  the  close  of  his  public  ministry  in  the  prophecy  on 
SMcun,7Matth.2i:  Mark  13.  Luke  21,)  but  the  same  event  he  had  fore- 
told to  the  people  publicly  only  by  parables,  or  in  general  terms^  MaUh.  21:  33, 
43-22-7-23:38.  Luke  13:  35-20:  16- 19:  43,  44.  When  Peter  m  private 
confessed  him  to  be  the  Christ  of  God,  the  Lord  strictly  charged  them  to  tell 
no  man  that  thing,Luke  9:  21.  Mark  8:  30.  Even  son.e  of  his  miracles  which 
were  done  privately  he  did  not  allow  to  be  published,  Mark  ■-^^-^■J^' 
Luke  8-  5G.  The  transfiguration  was  a  miraculous  display  pi  the  glory  ot 
Christ,  which  only  three  of  the  disciples  were  allowed  to  witness,  and  the}^ 
were  strictly  enjoined  not  to  tell  any  one  of  it,  till  the  Son  of  Man  should  be 
risen  f  om  he  dead,  Mark  9:  9.  Matth.  17:  9.  See  Luke  9:  36.  Compare  also 
[ire  instruction  which  was  privately  S'^en  to  N.codeinus  concermng  the 
kingdom  of  God,  with  the  answer  given  to  the  Pharisees  in  Luke  1/.  20  21 
whfch  we  have  been  considering,  or  with  any  public  i"st"'ction  which  he 
Tave  concerning  the  kingdom  of  Heaven.  In  the  conversation  with  Nicode- 
mnl  Christ  said  that  which,  by  necessary  implication,  deprived  that  nation  of 
the  very  kingdom  he  went  about  publicly  preaching.  "Except  a  man  be 
born  a-ain  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.  Except  a  man  be  born  of 
wier  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  the  kingdom  of  God."  The  nation  must 
VOL.  III. — 45 


62 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 


be  newly  created  before  they  could  enter  the  kingdom  he  was  preaching.    He 
declared  to  this  Pharisee  his  own  rejection  and  crucifixion  by  applying  to 
himself  the  type  of  the  serpent,  which  Moses  lifted  up,  John  3:  14.     In  vain  do 
we  search  for  declarations  as  plain  as  these  on  these  subjects  in  his  public 
ministration.     Another  remarkable  instance,  is  the  conversation  with  the 
woman  of  Samaria.     This  was  properly  a  private  or  (if  we  may  so  say)  extra- 
official  teaching.     The  reader  may  perhaps  require  a  proof  of  this.    II  so, 
let  him  recollect  that  Christ  was  the  minister  of  the  circumcision,  Rom.  15:  8, 
He  forebade  his  disciples  to  enter  any  city  of  the  Samaritans — he  coniined 
them  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  Matth.  10:  5,  6.     He  declared  he 
was  not  sent,  save  only  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  Matth.  15:  24. 
Of  course  his  office  as  a  minister  of  tlie  circumcision  did  not  call  him  into 
Samaria,  and  hence  John  takes  cares  to  tell  us,  that  he  did  not  go  there  except 
by  a  sort  of  necessity.     He  must  needs  go  through  it,  John  4:  4.     Of  course 
what  he  said  to  this  woman,  was  not  in  the  official  character  of  the  minister 
of  the  circumcision,  but  was  a  private  instruction,  given  by  the  way  on  his 
journey  from  Judea  to  Galilee.     Yet  in  this  private  extra-official  teaching,  he 
declares  plainly  that  the  temple  worship  at  Jerusalem  would   soon  cease, 
and  a  period  (*|a)  or  economy  would  ensue  in  which  spiritual  worship  would 
be  rendered  fo  God  acceptably  in  other  places  besides  Jerusalem  or  Samaria. 
Now  what  we  wish  the  reader  to  remark  is  this,  that  in  the  various  private 
instructions  of  our  Lord,  he  gives  much  more  distinct  intimations  of  the  issue 
of  the  Jewish  economy,  and  much  clearer  intimations  of  the  future,  than  he 
did  in  his  public  official  teaching  in  the  temple,  and  elsewhere  to  the  scribes, 
pharisees,  lawyers  and  the  multitudes.     The  reader  is  desired  to  search  the 
four  gospels,  and  see  whether  the  fact  is  not  so.     How  then  is  it  to  be 
accounted  fori — and  how  do  the  views  expressed  in  these  essays,  help  to 
explain   this  factl      Why   thus:    The    Lord  Jesus   went   officially   to  that 
nation,  and  offered  to  them  the  promised  kingdom.     He  exhibited  sufficient 
proofs  of  his  Messiahship,  to  convince  the  nation  of  his  rightful  claim  to  that 
character,  if  their  hearts  had  been  right — and  proofs  sufficient  to  fix  upon  the 
nation  guilt  in  rejecting  him.    Bat  they  were  not  such  proofs  as  would  com- 
mand the  assent  of  the  mind  against  the  inclination  of  the  heart.    Now,  it  is 
easy  to  conceive,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  could  have  made  such  exhibitions 
of  his  glory  and  his  power,  as  would  have  stifled  the  suggestions  of  their  evil 
hearts,  and  secured  an  outward  national  acceptance  of  his  person,  without  a 
renewal  of  their  natures,  but  without  which  they  could  not  see  or  enter  his 
kingdom.     Take  for  example,  the  transfiguration.     Had  the  Lord  Jesus  been 
transfigured  in  Jerusalem,  at  a  great  festival,  upon  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple, 
what  would  not  its  effect  have  been  upon  the  minds  of  people  and  rulers'? 
Yet  it  was  not  sufficient  to  get  the  assent  of  their  minds;  the  renewal  of  their 
hearts  was  necessar)%    The  miracles,  therefore,  as  well  as  the  public  instruc- 
tions of  the  Lord  Jesus,  were  not  arbitrarily  given  or  performed,  but  all  were 
divinely  appointed — the  kind  of  instruction,  as  well  as  the  quantity  of  it — and 
the  kind  of  miracles,  as  well  as  their  number — and  all  of  them  suited  to 
the  end  designed.     Our  Lord  declared  explicitly  of  his  public  teaching,  that 
he  said  nothing  of  himself,  and  did  nothing  of  himself,  but  all  as  he  was 
directed  by  the  Father,  John  8:  28—7:   17— that  his  works  were  sufficient 
to  convince  them  of  sin,  because  they  were  such  as  no  other  man  ever  did, 
John  15:  22,  24.    They  were  such  as  were  especially  appropriate  to  prove 
him,  not  merely  a  teacher  sent  from  God,  as  Nicodemus  acknowleged  him  to 
be,  (John  3:  2,)  but  the  Messiah,  that  prophet  king  whom  they  expected,  John  6: 
14,  15.     The  appropriateness  of  his  miracles  to  prove  him  not  merely  a  pro- 
phet or  teacher  come  from  God,  may  be  inferred  from  the  answer  to  John, 
when  he  sent  to  inquire,  "art  thou  (o  ie_x^,u^^o^)  the  coming  one"  the  Messiah, 
"or  should  we  expect  anotlier.''     The  answer  is  a  reference  to  his  miracles; 
the  import  of  the  answer  was,  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  Matth.  11:  3,  6.     Yet  if 
these  miracles  might  as  well  be  expected  from  any  other  prophet  or  teacher 
come  from  God,  as  from  Messiah,  liow  could  John  determine  from  these  mira- 
cles whether  he  was  the  Messiah   or  not]      While,  therefore,  the  public 
teaching  and  miracles  of  Christ,  were  given  according  to  the  Divine  purpose, 
and  in  such  measure  as  would  fix  guilt  upon  the  nation  in  rejecting  Christ, 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  63 

and  were  limited  to  that  measure  and  end,  his  private  instructions  to  his 
disciples  and  to  others,  who  approached  him  with  a  teachable  Spirit,  extended 
to  matters  which,  if  we  may  so  express  it,  were  not  appropriate  to  his  official 
relations  to  the  nation  as  such.     The  place  we  have  undertaken  to  explain, 
when  compared  with  the  instruction  given  to  Nicodemus,  alibrds  an  illustra- 
tion ot  what  we  mean.     The  Pharisees  asked  our  Lord  a  question  concerning 
the  ti7}ie  of  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God.     He  does  not  enter  into  a  dis- 
course concerning  its  nature,  or  the  preparation  of  heart,  which  are  requisite 
to  enter  the  kingdom.    He  tells  them  nothing  concerning  his  crucifixion  or  of 
his  being  lifted  up;  but  answers  their  question  fully  and  plainly,  as  we  have 
seen.    Yet  he  adds,  (still  in  his  character  of  a  public  teacher,)  "But  indeed  the 
kingdom  of  God  has  come  to  you."     It  may  be  supposed  that  the  verses  follow- 
ing this  answer,  are  at  variance  with  this  suggestion,  inasmuch  as  they  enter 
with  some  detail  in  the  events  which  were  soon  to  follow.     But  although  re- 
corded by  Luke,  as  if  this  instruction  to  the  disciples  followed  immediately  up'on 
the  answer  to  the  Pharisees,  we  are  not  obliged  to  suppose  that  it  was  uttered  in 
their  presence  or  hearing.    In  fact,  the  instruction  is  so  similar  to  that  which 
was  given  privately  to  the  disciples  or  some  of  them  on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  it 
seems  hardly  probable,  that  the  portion  of  the  17th  chapter  which  follows  verse 
21,  (and  proceeding  as  far  as  the  8th  verse  of  the  18th  chapter,)  was  delivered 
publicly  or  in  the  hearing  of  any  but  the  disciples.     Indeed  Luke  records  it  as 
said  to  the  disciples,  (see  17:  22,)  not  as  said  to  the  Pharisees.     We  have 
another  observation:  The  most  striking  peculiarity  of  the  gospel  of  John,  in 
the  view  of  the  writer  is,  that  it  contains  in  a  far  greater  proportion  than  the 
other  gospels,  these  private  instructions  of  our  Lord.    In  the  first  four  chapters 
but  little  is  recorded  of  his  public  teaching,  and  nothing  of  that  nature  occurs 
after  the  50th  verse  of  the  l-2th  chapter.     It  is  commonly  supposed  this  gospel 
was  written  about  the  year  86  or  94 — it  is  sufficient  for  the  present  purpose  to 
say,  it  was  written  the  last  of  all,  and  after  the  gospel  had  been  extensively 
promulgated  throughout  the  Roman  empire.     It  was  written  at  a  time  when, 
by  the  demonstrations  of  the  Spirit,  no  one  could  be  at  a  loss  to  understand 
what  (Nicodemus  found  it  impossible  to  conceive)  our  Lord  meant  by  the  new 
birth — the  birth  of  water  and  of  Spirit — it  was  written  after  the  temple  tvor- 
ship  had  ceased,  and  the  (&>§«)  period  or  dispensation  of  Spiritual  worship  had 
commenced  among  the  nations,  according  to  the  prediction  of  the  Lord  to  the 
woman  of  Samaria.     The  Comforter  had  come,  and  his  office  and  power  were 
understood  and  felt  in  his  operations,  not  within  the  limits  of  Judea  alone, 
but  wherever  the  gospel  had  been  carried,  John  15:  8.     Now  these  more  private 
matters  of  instruction,  had  a  stronger — a  plainer  and  a  more  important  bear- 
ing on  the  Gentile  economy,  than  any  which  were  contained  in  his  public 
official  discourses  to  the  Jevvish  people,  and  hence  the  chief  reason  perhaps 
for  writing  this  gospel.    It  was  important  that  Christians,  who  saw  these 
wonderful  works  of  the  Spirit,  and  their  bearing  upon  the  world  at  large, 
should  know  that  they  had  been  distinctly  foretold  by  our  Lord  during  his 
personal  ministry.     The  public  preaching  of  Jesus  to  the  Jews  as  a  people, 
belonged  not  to  the  present  economy,  but  to  the  Levitical.     Being  exclusively 
addressed  to  Jews,  the  Gentiles  became  interested  in  it  subsequently,  and  only 
incidentally,  as  in  many  other  things  pertaining  to  the  Levitical  dispensation. 
For  example  when  He  began  to  preach,  "The  time  is  fulfilled  and  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  at  hand,  repent  ye  and  believe  the  gospel,"  he  announced  an  event, 
and  urged  a  duty  with  which  that  nation  was  chiefly  concerned.     Had  the 
nation,  as  such,  believed  the  gospel,  and  received  the  kingdom,  they  would 
have  continued  to  be,  as  we  have  shewn,  the  elect  nation;  Gentiles  could  not 
have  shared  in  the  blessings  which  he  then  oflfered  exclusively  to  the  Jews. 
Let  us  not  be  misunderstood.    We  do  not  deny,  but  rather  affirm,  that  in  our 
Lord's  public  teaching,  many  truths  are  stated,  which  as  much  concern  the 
Gentiles  as  they  did  the  Jews  to  whom  they  were  privio^rihj  addressed.    Thus 
when  he  tells  the  Jews,  "no  man  can  come  to  me  except  the  Father  which 
hath  sent  me  draw  him,"  he  announces  a  universal  truth,  as  interesting  to  us 
Gentiles  as  it  was  to  the  Jews.     As  originally  used  and  applied  (John  6:  44 
and  context)  in  a  public  discourse  to  the  Jews,  it  intimated  that  they  could  not 
repent  and  receive  the  gospel  and  the  kingdom,  which  he  was  then  engaged 


Q4  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

in  preaching,  without  Divine  assistance,  and  therefore  they  would  lose  that 
kingdom,  unless  the  Father  interposed  and  inclined  the  nation  as  such  to 
receive  him.  Events  have  shewn  (and  the  scriptures  predicted  them)  that  it 
was  not  the  purpose  of  God  thus  to  interpose  in  behalf  of  that  nation;  but  to 
leave  them  to  themselves;  to  let  them  stumble  and  fail,  in  order  that  he  might 
open  a  new  economy  in  which  Gentiles  should  share  with  Jews.  Yet  observe 
how  much  more  minute  is  the  instruction  on  this  head  to  Nicodenius,  and 
how  much  more  plainly  he  refers  to  this  present  economy  in  his  private  con- 
versation with  a  stranger  (Luke  17:  18)  in  Samaria,  than  he  does  in  his 
public  discourses  to  the  Jews.  The  fact,  that  in  these  private  discourses  our 
Lord  more  frequently  anticipates  the  issue  of  his  public  ministrations  to  that 
nation — that  he  lifts  the  veil  more  frequently,  and  shews  more  clearly  to 
private  inquirers,  coming  events,  as  well  as  the  nature  of  the  new  dispensation 
which  was  to  follow  his  ascension,  as  well  as  the  means  by  which  it  would  be 
carried  on,  give  a  peculiar  value  to  these  private  discourses,  owing  to  their 
appropriateness  to  the  present  dispensation;  and  this  fact  supplies  perhaps,  as 
has  been  suggested,  one  of  the  chief  motives  for  writing  the  gospel  of  John. 
But  we  shall  not  pursue  these  observations  any  farther.  What  has  been  said, 
may  serve  as  hints  to  classify  the  contents  of  the  gospels,  with  reference  to 
their  bearing  respectively  on  the  ministry  of  the  circumcision  and  the  dispen- 
sation of  the  Spirit.  They  may  also  serve  to  point  out  the  chief  distinction 
between  the  gospels  and  the  Epistles  of  the  N.  T.  We  conclude  this  diffusive 
note,  by  recalling  the  reader's  attention  to  the  point  which  these  observations 
were  intended  to  illustrate,  viz:  that  the  doctrine  advocated  in  these  essays, 
enables  us  better  to  understand  the  preaching  of  our  Lord  to  the  Jews.  His 
public  official  teaching  and  preaching  of  the  kingdom  to  the  Jeicish  nation  as 
such,  urging  their  acceptance  of  it,  and  of  him  as  their  JVlessiah,  and  of  his 
miracles  which  were  wrought  for  the  purpose  of  inclining  the  nation  to  close 
in  with  his  offer,  had  reference  primarily  to  an  object  which  failed,  and  which 
he  foresaw  would  fail.  Yet  the  failure  was  not  so  distinctly  announced  by 
him  in  his  public  discourses,  as  it  was  in  his  private  intercourse  with  his  disci- 
ples^and  others,  nor  was  it  publicly  announced  even  in  parables,  till  near  the 
close  of  his  ministry.  Whereas  privately  that  event  was  told  by  our  Lord  at 
least  inferentially  from  the  beginning  of  his  ministry,  John  3:  14,  3,  5. 


ESSAY  V. 

"  The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observation.^^ 

Tindal,  the  author  of  the  infidel  work  called  "Christianity 
as  Old  as  the  Creation,"  makes  the  following  remarks  upon 
the  prophecies.  "As  to  the  prophecies  in  the  Old  Testament 
I  must  confess  my  ignorance,  that  I  do  not  understand  them 

As  to  those  prophecies,  if  they  may  he  so  called, 

in  the  New  Testament,  relating  to  the  second  coming  of 
Christ  and  the  end  of  the  world,  the  best  interpreters  and 
commentators  own  the  apostles  themselves  were  grossly  mis- 
taken, there  scarce  being  an  epistle  but  where  they  foretell 
that  those  times  they  wrote  in  were  lempora  novissima  (the 
last  times),  and  the  then  age  the  last  age,  and  those  days  the 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  65 

last  days,  and  that  the  end  of  the*\vorld  was  nigh,  and  the 
coming  of  Christ  at  hand,  as  is  plain,  among  other  texts,  from 
1  Cor.  10:  11.  Rom.  13:  11,  12.  Heb.  9:  26.  James  5:  7,  8. 
1  John  2:  18.  2  Pet.  3:  12,  13;  and  they  do  not  assert  this  as 
a  mere  matter  of  speculation,  but  build  motives  and  arguments 
upon  it  to  excite  people  to  the  practice  of  piety  and  all  good 
works."  He  then  cites  the  following  passages  as  examples 
and  proofs  of  these  positions,  Phil.  4:  5.  Heb.  10:  24,  25.  1 
Pet.  4:  7,  8.  1  Cor.  7:  29.  2  Pet.  3:  11,  12.  1  Tim.  6:  13,  14. 
1  Cor.  11:  26.  1  Thess.  4:  15,  16,  17.  In  another  place  this 
author  limits  or  qualifies  the  saying  of  our  Lord  (Matth.  24: 
36)  that,  "of  that  day  and  that  hour,  knoweth  no  man,  no  not 
the  angels  of  Heaven,  but  my  Father  only;"  by  the  assertion 
in  verse  33d,  that  "this  generation  shall  not  pass  away  till  all 
those  things  be  fulfilled,"  so  that  he  would  have  us  to  under- 
stand 0U&  Lord  as  saying  that,  though  the  day  and  the  hour  of 
his  advent  was  unknown,  yet  it  would  be  within  the  life-time 
of  the  men  then  living.  From  the  whole  he  infers  that  "if 
most  of  the  apostles  upon  what  motives  soever  were  mistaken 
in  a  matter  of  this  consequence,  how  can  we  be  absolutely 
certain  that  any  one  of  them  may  not  be  mistaken  in  any 
other  matter?  If  they  were  not  inspired  in  what  they  said  in 
their  writings,  concerning  the  then  coming  of  Christ,  how 
could  they  be  inspired  in  those  arguments  they  build  on  a 
foundation,  far  from  being  so?  If  they  thought  their  times 
were  the  last,  no  direction  they  gave  could  be  intended  to 
reach  further  than  their  own  limes." 

This  is  an  insidious  argument,  but  it  rests  upon  a  false 
interpretation  of  the  scriptures.  No  deist  can,  consistently 
with  his  own  principles,  deny  that  God  has  a  right  to  deter- 
mine how  far  and  in  what  way  he  will  reveal  himself  and  his 
purposes  to  men.  None  can  believe  for  a  moment,  that  a 
Being  of  infinite  attributes — the  God  whom  we  adore — is 
under  an  obligation  to  make  known  to  men  in  their  present 
state,  all  His  purposes.  To  receive  such  knowledge,  would 
require  an  infinite  expansion  of  the  human  faculties,  and  in 
fact,  the  exaltation  of  man  in  knowledge  infinitely  above  the 
highest  order  of  finite  beings.  Nor  can  any  reasonable  mind 
believe,  that  God  is  under  obligation  to  reveal  to  men  such 
and  so  many  of  his  purposes  as  they  can  comprehend.  The 
deist  must  admit  that  God  in  these  and  all  other  respects,  is 
rio-htfully  a  sovereign — and  that  he  may  give  or  withhold,  as 
seemeth  good  to  bim.  Such  at  least  is  the  character  which 
the  holy  scriptures  ascribe  to  God,  and  that  is  all  that  we  need 
assume  in  reply  to  an  argument  which  rests  upon  the  allegation 
45* 


66 


ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 


that  the  scriptures  do  noPcontain  a  full  declaration  of  all  that 
God,  in  his  providence,  has  accomplished. 

Now  the  scriptures  teach  us,  that  God  has  purposed  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  shall  at  sojne  time  return  to  this  earth.  Thus 
much  is  revealed  beforehand.  They  also  teach  that  the  time 
of  his  second  coming,  though  purposed  immutably,  shall  never 
be  revealed  to  angels  or  men,  except  by  the  event  itself,  Matth. 
24:  36.  Mark  13:  32.  Luke  21:  34.  Acts  1:  7.  The  first  of 
these  revelations  furnishes  the  ground  of  a  rational  and  confi- 
dent expectation  of  the  event,  while  the  second,  forbids  every 
man  from  saying  or  believing,  that  it  may  not  occur  in  his  own 
life-time.  Now  these  were  the  revelations  which  were  given 
to  the  apostles,  and  this  (generally  stated)  was  the  mode  in 
which  (as  it  appears  to  some  persons)  they  applied  them.  A 
prophet  is  no  more  than  any  other  man,  in  respect  to  things 
which  God  does  not  reveal  to  him:  but  as  believers,  having 
immortal  interests  depending  on  these  truths,  the  apostles 
would  be  justified  in  using  the  revelations  actually  made,  as 
motives  for  their  own  conduct,  and  to  influence  the  conduct  of 
others.  They  could  not  be  said  to  be  mistaken  in  their  cha- 
racter of  prophets,  because  they  did  not  foreknow  things  not 
revealed  to  them,  nor  can  they  with  justice  be  said  to  have 
been  mistaken  as  men,  or  as  Christian  teachers,  because  they 
inferred  from  the  absolute  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  the 
coming  of  an  absolutely  certain  event,  that  it  might  come  to 
pass  in  their  life-time.  For  let  it  be  supposed  that  any  of  the 
apostles  had  been  inspired  to  declare,  that  the  second  coming 
of  Christ  would  not  occur  till  after  the  lapse  of  many  (10,  20 
or  30)  centuries,  such  a  revelation  would  so  far  forth  put  the 
times  and  the  seasons  out  of  the  power  exclusively  of  the 
Father,  which  it  was  his  purpose,  in  the  most  absolute  way,  to 
retain  exclusively  within  his  power.  For  the  doctrine  is,  that 
neither  men  nor  angels  shall  be  inspired  to  tell  when  the 
event  shall  7iot  be,  any  more  than  to  declare  when  it  shall  be, 
but  for  aught  that  either  can  know,  it  may  be  indefinitely 
near.  Let  it  be  admitted  then,  that  the  conclusion  from  these 
two  doctrines  is  just  and  rational;  that  for  any  thing  the  apos- 
tles could  certainly  know,  the  second  advent  of  Christ  might 
have  taken  place  in  their  life-time,  and  we  have  a  motive  of 
the  greatest  power  in  producing  personal  vigilance  and  holi- 
ness. For  the  possibility  (judged  of  according  to  sound 
reason)  is  of  infinite  moment  to  the  individual. 

But  this  is  not  stating  the  argument  in  its  full  force.  It 
must  be  admitted,  that  a  teacher  sent  of  God,  to  instruct  men, 
is  bound  to  declare  the  message  with  which  he  is  charged. 
Now  if  it  should  be  found  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself, 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  5-7 

urged  this  ignorance  oi  men  of  the  time  of  his  second  coming  as 
a  motive  to  personal  watchfulness,  and  if  he  sent  the  apostles 
to  teach  mankind  the  same  doctrines,  which  he  had  taught 
them,  and  urge  those  doctrines  by  the  same  motives,  surely 
their  obedience  to  their  master  in  executing  their  commission, 
cannot  be  alleged  as  a  proof,  that  they  were  grossly  mistaken 
in  regard  to  the  time  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  (Matth. 
28:  20.)  While,  therefore,  it  is  conceded  that  the  apostles 
constantly  appealed  to  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  not  as  a 
*'mere  speculation,  but  to  build  motives  and  arguments  upon 
it  to  excite  the  people  to  the  practice  of  piety  and  all  good 
works,"  we  deny  that  they  were  grossly  mistake?!,  or  that  they 
reasoned  fallaciously,  or  deceived  others,  or  did  that  which 
was  at  all  inconsistent  with  their  claim  to  be  inspired  teachers. 
The  event  does  not  prove  that  they  were  mistaken,  for  they 
never  taught  that  the  day  of  Christ  would  certainly  come  in 
their  life-time.  They  did  but  derive  motives  from  an  event 
designedly  left  in  absolute  uncertainty  by  the  spirit  of  God, 
for  the  very  use  which  they  made  of  it; — nay  more,  they  did 
but  imitate  the  example  and  obey  the  express  commands  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (Matth.  24:  48,  51.  Luke  IS:  8 — 21:  35.) 
Let  us  suppose  for  a  moment,  that  the  ministers  of  the  gospel 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  were  one  and  all  to  preach  the  same 
doctrine  which  this  infidel  writer  saj's  the  apostles  taught,  and 
that,  "not  as  a  speculation,  but  to  build  motives  and  arguments 
upon  it,  to  excite  people  to  piety  and  all  good  works,"  might 
not  the  men  who  shall  live  in  the  twentieth  century  of  ihis 
present  dispensation,  with  equal  reason,  charge  them  with 
being  grossly  mistaken?  But  this  question  itself  assumes 
what  no  man  or  angel  knows;  for  who,  of  the  generation  now 
on  earth,  knows  with  certainty  that  God  will  continue  this 
present  dispensation,  or  the  world  in  its  present  condition,  yet 
another  century?  Who  can  say  how  long  he  will  restrain 
his  wrath  against  the  abominations  of  wicked  men?  Who  can 
say  how  long  it  will  be,  before  he  shall  have  accomplished  the 
number  of  his  elect?  Who  can  say  that  the  advent  will  be 
delayed  a  day.or  an  hour  after  the  last  of  God's  elect  shall  be 
born  and  born  again?  Under  the  Old  Testament  economy, 
the  chosen  people  of  God  had  divine  assurance  that  their 
nation  should  be  preserved  until  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 
"The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  law-giver 
from  between  his  feet,  until  Shiloh  come,"  Gen.  49:  10.  The 
same  promise  was  involved  in  the  words  of  Isaiah  to  Ahaz, 
Isa.  7:  1,  16.  Rezin,  the  king  of  Syria,  and  Pekah,  king  of 
Israel,  were  besieging  Jerusalem.  The  prophet  was  com- 
manded to  bid  Ahaz  to  take  courage,  for  the  design  of  these 


^§  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

confederates  should  not  succeed:  Ahaz  doubted,  and  to  remove 
the  doubt,  he  was  commanded  to  ask  a  sign.  He  refused  to 
do  so.  The  prophet  replied,  the  Lord  himself  shall  give  you 
a  sign:  "Behold  a  virgin  shall  conceive  and  bear  a  son,  and 
shall  call  his  name  Immanuel,"  a  promise  which  was  not  ful- 
filled till  nearly  seven  hundred  years  afterwards,  by  which,  it 
was  manifest  that  the  house  of  David  should  not  be  destroyed, 
or  Jerusalem  come  under  the  power  of  Damascus,  before  the 
birth  of  the  Messiah.  Ahaz,  therefore,  had  nothing  to  fear 
from  the  besieging  enemies,  either  for  Jerusalem  or  the  house 
of  David,  inasmuch  as  the  Messiah  was  to  arise  from  that 
house.  Hence  this  promise  was  a  sign,  (or  rather  a  certain 
proof,)  that  those  enemies  should  not  prevail.  Ahaz  did  not 
indeed  know  how  long  it  would  be  until  the  birth  of  the 
Messiah;  but  afterwards  during  the  captivity,  the  angel  Ga- 
briel was  commissioned  to  inform  Daniel  of  the  times  deter- 
mined for  that  purpose,  Dan.  9:  24.  These  promises  involved 
the  continuance  of  this  (sr;^»^* tsu  xoo-^ou)  order  of  things,  until 
the  seed  should  come,  who  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head. 
So  since  the  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  is  the  cove- 
nant of  God  in  Christ  alone,  which  prolongs  the  present  order 
of  things.  God  has  made  no  covenant  with  the  world,  that 
he  will  spare  it  a  day.  He  is  not  slack  concerning  his  pro- 
mise as  some  men  count  slackness,  2  Pet.  3:9.  So  far  from  it, 
he  continually  restrains  his  wrath  against  it  for  the  sake  of  his 
elect — such  is  the  meaning  of  2  Pet.  3:  9,  (See  Oecumenius 
cited  by  Macknight,)  and  of  Luke  18:  7.  The  covenant  of 
God,  that  Christ  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be 
satisfied,  must  be  fulfilled.  Time  must,  therefore,  be  given 
that  all  those  given  to  Christ  should  be  brought  to  repentance 
under  the  administration  of  the  Spirit.  In  other  words,  as 
before  the  coming  of  Christ,  the  house  of  David  must  be  pre- 
served till  the  promised  seed  should  come;  so  now,  since  the 
coming  of  Christ,  the  present  order  of  things  must  be  pre- 
served, not  because  God  is  well  pleased  with  it,  but  because 
the  mystical  body  of  Christ  must  be  completed — just  as  Sodom 
was  spared  a  short  space,  not  for  Sodom's  sake,  but  for  the 
sake  of  Lot,  to  whom  the  angel  said,  "Haste  thee,  escape 
thither,  (to  Zoar,)  for  I  can  do  nothing  till  thou  be  come 
thither,"  Gen.  19:  22.  Now  if  it  be  true  that  the  number 
given  to  Christ  is  no  where  revealed,  nor  the  number  of 
generations  out  of  which  they  are  to  be  gathered,  revealed, 
could  the  apostles  know  that  the  exigencies  of  the  covenant 
of  grace  might  not  be  satisfied  out  of  their  own  generation.'' 
Could  any  Christian  of  any  subsequent  age,  assuredly  know, 
that  the  mystical  body  of  Christ  would  require  a  larger  nutn- 
ber  than   it  was  the   purpose    of   God  to  call  from  his  own 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  QQ 

generation?  Can  any  man,  now  alive,  be  assured  that  ten 
centuries  and  more  are  still  requisite  to  this  end,  seeing  that  it 
depends  on  the  secret  purpose  of  God?  In  this  sense — as  was 
observed  in  a  former  essay — the  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not 
with  observation.  This  spiritual  building  is  concealed  from 
the  eyes  of  men.  They  cannot  discern  its  progress,  so  as  to 
mark  its  approximation  towards  (or  rather  how  much  it  lacks 
of)  completion.  Yet  they  know  that  it  has  long  been  in  pro- 
gress, that  it  is  now  in  progress,  that  it  is  every  day  drawing 
nearer  to  its  completion.  But  when  it  will  be  completed,  or 
after  what  interval  it  will  be  comj)leted,  was  not  revealed  to 
the  apostles,  nor  has  it  been  revealed  to  us,  although  the  Pro- 
vidence of  God  has  made  us,  who  now  live,  certain  of  many 
things  of  which  all  former  ages  were  ignorant.  But  to  re- 
sume. It  is  profanely  absurd  to  argue  that  a  true  prophet 
must  be  omniscient.  No  deist  can,  without  renouncing  all 
reason,  deny  that  God  can  inspire  a  man  certainly  to  foretell 
OTie  single  event  without  more.  The  Bible  itself  purports  to 
be  a  revelation,  which  has  been  made  in  many  parts,  (Heb.  1: 
],)  and  no  Christian  supposes  that  any  prophet  was  inspired  to 
foretell  more  than  the  part  committed  to  him. 

But  waving  these  general  considerations,  the  reader  is  re- 
quested to  consider  attentively  the  instructions  and  exhorta- 
tions of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  upon  this  point.  The  following 
passages  may  be  selected,  Matth.  24:  36.  Mark  13:  32.  Acts 
1:  7.  (Comp.  Dan.  12:  S,  9.)  Matth.  25:  6.  Luke  17:  26,  &c. 
—21:  34,  35.  (Comp.  1  Thess.  5:  2,3.)  It  is  remarkable 
that  (according  to  Mark  13:  32)  our  Lord  declared  that  the 
Son  knoweth  not  the  day  of  his  second  advent.  This  passage 
has  been  perverted  by  the  Socinians.  Our  Lord  declared  that 
he  taught  nothing  except  what  was  committed  to  him  by  his 
Father  to  teach.  In  his  office  of  prophet,  he  did  not  transcend 
his  commission,  any  more  than  did  any  of  the  holy  men  of 
old,  who  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
This  passage,  therefore,  means  only  that  it  was  not  an  event 
which  was  committed  to  him  in  his  prophetic  character  to 
reveal.  It  remained  in  the  Father's  power.  Acts  1:  7.  Our 
Lord,  therefore,  in  perfect  consistency  urged  on  his  imme- 
diate disciples  and  his  disciples  of  every  age  since,  the  duty 
of  personal  watchfulness,  for  that  event  which  certainly  would 
come,  and  which  (for  ought  that  men  could  ever  know)  might 
come  in  their  day — an  event  which  would  come  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly  upon  those  who  should  witness  its  awful  splen- 
dour and  glories.  His  example  in  this  respect,  had  the  force 
of  a  precept  to  his  apostles.* 
*  David  Levi,  a  learned  Jew,  speaking  of  thuse  Christian  writers  who 


70  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

There  is  a  point  of  instruction  in  Luke  12:  41,  which  is  not 
commonly  noticed.  Our  Lord  had  been  enforcing  on  the 
disciples,  the  duty  of  watchfulness,  ''Let  your  loins  be  girded, 
and  your  lights  burning,  (alluding,  perhaps,  to  the  night  of  the 
exodus  from  Egypt,  Exod.  12:  11,  42,)  and  ye  yourselves  as 
men  that  wait  for  their  Lord,  &c.  Blessed  are  those  servants 
whom  the  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  watching,  &c. 
And  if  he  shall  come  in  the  second  watch,  or  in  the  ihxrd  watch, 
and  find  them  so,  blessed  are  those  servants,"  &c.  But  Peter 
said.  Lord  speakest  thou  this  parable  u7ito  us  or  even  unto  all. 
The  object  of  Peter  was  to  obtain  a  discriminating  answer. 
Dost  thou  mean  by  servants  us,  the  apostles,  or  dost  thou 
intend  others.  The  question  involved  the  time  of  the  second 
advent,  a  point  upon  which  (as  has  been  said)  our  Lord  never 
gave  any  information  by  which  even  an  approximation  could 
be  made  to  it.  Had  our  Lord  said  that  this  parable  was 
applicable  to  them  exclusive!}/  of  others,  they  would  have 
inferred  that  his  coming  would  take  place  in  their  life-time; 
had  he  said  it  did  not  apply  to  them  personally,  but  to  others, 
they  would  have  inferred  that  tlie  advent  of  vvhich  he  spoke, 
would  not  occur  in  their  life-time.  But  this  event  was  not  to 
be  revealed  within  these  limits  or  any  other.  He  replies,  by 
asking  a  question,  which  he  does  answer,  and  which  contained 
all  the  information  which  Peter  needed.  "Who  then  is  that 
faithful  and  wise  steward,  &c.,  he  is  that  blessed  servant  whom 
his  Lord  when  he  cometh,  (?>.6w  coming,  or  at  his  coming,  be 
that    when    it    may,)    shall    find   so   doing."      This    answer 

acknowledge  that  the  prophecies  concerning  the  Messiah  are  to  be  understood 
in  their  most  literal,  obvious  sense,  says  that  "they  cannot  produce  one  single, 
clear,  unequivocal  prophecy  from  the  Old  Testament  which  foretells  a  two- 
fold coming  of  one  and  the  same  person  as  the  Messiah:  and  that  too,  at  the 
distance  of  such  a  number  of  years  as  have  already  elapsed  from  the  sup- 
posed period  of  his  being  upon  earth,"  Levi's  Dissert.,  vol.  i.  p.  1-0.  To  the 
first  part  of  this  observation,  it  may  be  replied,  that  the  scriptures  of  the  O.  T. 
do  in  several  places  plainly  intimate  a  twofold  advent  of  one  and  the  same 
person,  as  Messiah — an  advent,  vamch/,  of  meekness  and  humility,  (as  in  Is. 
42:  1-8,)  at  which  he  should  be  rejected  and  cut  oft",  (Is.  55.  Dan.  0:  26,)  and  an 
advent  of  glory  and  power,  when  he  will  destroy  his  enemies,  Is,  42:  13,  et  seq. 
Dan.  7:  13,  14.  To  the  second  part  of  this  observation,  it  may  be  replied,  that 
if  the  scriptures  of  the  O.  T.  did,  in  fact,  reveal  two  distinct  advents  of  the 
Messiah,  separated  by  an  interval  (also  defined  and  revealed)  of  1800  years  or 
more,  they  would  not  be  in  accordance  with  the  representations  of  the  New 
Testament,  which  represents  the  advent  always  as  near,  ("Maran-atha  Domi- 
nus  noster  vcnit  tessera  est  ecclesia-,  summam  spei  Christianoe,  his  verbis, 
comprehendens.")  This  observation  of  Levi  proves  that  one  of  his  objections 
against  the  gospel,  is  founded  upon  a  misconception  of  what  it  teaches,  and 
like  that  of  Tindal's  before  mentioned,  was  suggested  to  him  by  Christian 
writers.  If  it  were  possible  to  divest  the  scriptures  of  the  false  glosses  with 
which  they  have  been  invested  by  those  who  profess  to  receive  them,  and  to 
present  them  in  the  simplicity  of  their  truths,  infidelity  would  be  deprived  of 
many  of  its  strongest  arguments. 


OP  THE  KINGDOM  OP  GOD.  71 

furnished  a  motive  for  watchfulness  to  Peter,  and  at  the  same 
time  withheld  that  information,  which  the  purpose  of  God  has 
studiously  concealed.  The  appositeness  of  this  reply  displays, 
Divine  Wisdom.  It  is  one  of  those  nice  congruities  which 
commonly  escape  our  notice,  and  which  shows  that  no  artifice 
could  ever  have  contrived  the  history  or  the  instructions  con- 
tained in  the  gospel. 

After  the  resurrection,  our  Lord  intimated  to  Peter  ob- 
scurely, that  he  should  suffer  death  before  the  second  coming 
of  Christ,  (John  21:  18,)  "When  thou  wast  young,  thou 
girdedst  thyself,"  &c.  John,  who  wrote  his  gospel  long  after 
Peter's  death,  interpreted  the  expression,  "This  he  said,  sig- 
nifying by  what  death,"  &c.  John  21:  19.  But  in  regard  to 
John,  when  Peter  inquired  as  to  his  end,  our  Lord  replied 
hypothetlcally,  affirming  nothing  inconsistent  with  the  event 
of  his  surviving  until  the  return  of  his  Lord.  The  disciples 
converted  (it  seems)  this  hypothetical  expression,  "i/"  I  will 
that  he  remain  till  I  come,"  into  an  assertion  that  he  should 
remain;  yet,  says  John,  *'Jesus  said  not,  he  shall  not  die,  but  if 
I  will  that  he  tarry  till  I  come,"  &c.  Now  it  cannot  be  sup- 
posed thlit  the  brethren  expected  that  John  would  live  1800 
years  or  more  on  earth,  as  we  know  must  have  been  the  fact, 
if  the  promise  had  been  that  he  should  survive  until  the 
second  advent  of  Christ.  Rather,  they  must  have  supposed 
that  the  second  advent  would  take  place  within  a  period 
which,  at  the  utmost,  should  not  greatly  exceed  the  ordinary 
period  of  the  life  of  a  man.  Had  they  foreseen,  what  we  may 
now  look  back  upon,  it  is  not  probable  that  they  would  have 
committed  the  mistake,  which  the  Evangelist  here  corrects. 
The  Hoi}''  Spirit  saw  fit  to  record  with  precision,*  both  the 

*  John  wrote  his  gospel  (according  to  the  opinion  of  the  ancients),  at  a  very 
advanced  age,  after  his  return  from  Patmos  to  Ephesus.  If  this  opinion  be 
correct,  as  it  undoubtedly  is,  it  was  written  long  after  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  by  Titus.  Yet  John  takes  pains  to  correct  this  mistake  at  that  late 
day,  lest  after  his  death,  it  might  be  made  use  of  by  ignorant  or  malicious 
men,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  truth.  But  if  the  coming  intended  was  a  Pro- 
vidential coming  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  (as  some  have  supposed,)  why  should  he 
take  pains  to  correct  this  saying  of  the  brethren,  which  (according  to  that 
hypothesis)  had  been  proved  by  events  to  be  according  to  the  truth'?  Still 
more  absurd  is  the  opinion  which  was  once,  and  perhaps  is  now,  entertained 
by  many,  that  this  apostle  did  not  die  at  all;  for  if  such  was  to  be  the  fact, 
why  should  John  say  that  "Jesus  said  not  unto  him  he  shall  not  die.''  If  it 
was  the  Saviour's  purpose  that  John  should  not  die,  either  by  violence  or  by  a 
natural  death,  the  brethren  spread  abroad  a  true  saying,  and  whether  it  could 
be  gathered  from  the  Saviour's  words  or  not,  would  not  be  likely  to  do  harm. 
The  only  natural  explanation  is  that  above  given,  "Jesus  spoke  of  his  coming 
under  the  condition  of  its  possible  nearness."  This  was  his  manner  of  refer- 
ring to  it.  Even  when  he  represents  this  dispensation  by  the  absence  of  a 
man  travelling  into  a  far  country,  and  returning  after  a  long  tivic,  (as  in 
Matth.  25:  14,  19,)  the  events  prefigured  all  fall  within  the  period  of  a  r/ia7i's 
life,  and  even  less;  for  a  long  journey,  requiring  a  long  absence,  considered 


J2  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

words  of  our  Lord,  and  the  erroneous  interpretation  which 
was  put  upon  them  by  the  brethren.  So  that  this  passage  is 
not  only  a  proof  of  the  belief  of  the  first  Christians,  but  another 
example  of  the  indefiniteness  in  which  the  time  of  the  second 
advent  is  left,  as  has  been  already  stated. 

Both  Peter  (2  Eph.  1:  13)  and  Paul,  (2  Tim.  4:  G,)  towards 
the  close  of  their  career,  were  informed  of  their  demise,  yet 
Paul,  at  a  previous  time  (in  2  Cor.  5:  2)  spoke  of  the  event,  of 
his  being  clothed  upon  without  being  unclothed,  (Comp.  1 
Thess.  4:  17.  Phil.  3:  21,)  as  an  object  of  hope,  and  perhaps 
even  of  expectation,  though  without  any  assurance  of  its 
certainty.* 

If  the  foregoing  observations  are  well  founded,  they  dis- 
prove the  allegations  of  infidels  that  the  apostles  were  mistaken. 
God  has  revealed  such  truths  as  his  infinite  wisdom  saw  best 
adapted  to  the  scheme  of  redemption.  To  deny  that  his 
prophets  and  apostles  were  inspired,  because  they  were  igno- 
rant of  those  tilings,  which  God  has  declared  he  will  not 
reveal,  is  in  effect  to  deny  God's  right  to  establish  sucli  a 
scheme  as  is  contained  in  the  Bible.  To  deny  that  the  apos- 
tles ''might  build  motives  and  arguments,"  such  as  our  reason 

relatively  tc  the  ordinary  course  of  luunan  employments,  would  be  satisfied  by 
supposing  it  to  occupy  a  few  years.  Well  then,  if  the  reader  will  admit  that 
our  Lord  still  continued  to  speak  of  his  return  as  an  event  possibly  near,  the 
intimation  that  John  might  possibly  live  till  he  should  come,  by  no  means 
involved  the  idea  that  he  would  survive  what  they  might  have  considered 
a  ripe  old  age.  And  as  they  could  predict  neither  the  day  of  the  Lord's 
coming,  nor  the  day  of  John's  death,  nor  know  that  either  was  remote,  they 
had  no  reason  to  say,  nor  could  they  say,  the  latter  event  must  occur  before  the 
former.  Events,  however,  have  made  the  matter  clear,  and  Providence  has 
revealed  many  things  to  us  which  prophecy  did  not  foretell  to  the  first 
Christians. 

*  Dr.  Bloomfield  remarks  on  I  Cor.  15:  52  (and  we  shall  be  changed,)  "the 
apostle  here  (as  often)  uses  a.  /uiiTA'r;^>ifjfXTnrjucg  and  speaks  not  in  his  own 
person,  but  in  theirs."  He  then  adds  in  a  note,  "considering  the  frequency  of 
this  figure,  I  think  Doddridge  was  right  in  not  admitting  the  inference  so 
often  drawn  from  hence,  and  unwarily  conceded  by  Grotios  and  Rosenmuller, 
that  the  apostle  expected  he  should  live  till  the  day  of  judgment."  No  doubt 
this  was  conceding  too  much.  The  apostle  had  no  confident  expectation, 
although  he  knew  that  as  the  day  of  Christ's  advent  was  absolutely  uncertain, 
such  an  event  might  be,  for  aught  he  knew.  On  1  Thess.  4:  15,  Dr.  B.  after 
referring  to  the  annotation  of  Dr.  Benson,  gives  as  his  own  judgment,  that 
although  the  words  "tee  who  are  alive,"  &c.  do  not  imply  that  he  should  live 
until  the  last  day — the  day  of  the  Lord's  advent — yet  that  he  thought  it  possi- 
ble the  last  day  was  so  near  at  hand,  that  some  then  living  might  see  it,  and 
having  no  certain  information  he  expresses  himself  indefinitely.  And  surely 
(to  use  the  words  of  Doddridge),  "an  ignorance  on  this  point,  was  by  no  means 
inconsistent  with  a  knowledge  of  vhatcrcr  was  necessary  to  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel."  He  then  refers  to  Mark  13:  32  and  1  Cor.  15:  51.  If  this  con- 
cession be  not  too  much,  it  follows  that  Paul  was  not  expecting  a  Spiritual 
millennium,  previously  to  the  advent  of  Christ,  and  indced;the  description 
which  he  gives  in  the  2  Thess.  2  chap,  of  the  future,  until  the  day  of  Christ, 
which  he  must  be  supposed  to  have  written  by  inspiration,  is  inconsistent,  with 
any  such  expectation.     See  Appendix  to  this  essay. 


OP  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  73 

approves  and  sees  to  be  just,  upon  revealed  truths,  <'in  order 
to  excite  men  to  piety  and  good  works,"  when  they  are  bound 
to  do  so,  both  by  the  precept  and  example  of  Christ,  is  in 
effect,  to  deny  that  God  may  exact  obedience.  To  say  that 
God  deceives  men,  by  exhibiting  a  partial  view  of  his  pur- 
poses, so  as  to  lead  them  to  inferences,  which  he  will  not 
verify,  is  not  only  blasphemous,  but  denies  to  him  his 
sovereign  right,  to  give  or  to  withhold  at  his  pleasure.  If  the 
ground  of  such  a  denial  or  objection  consists  in  the  constitution 
of  man  as  a  rational  being,  Paul  has  given  the  answer,  by  the 
question,  "shall  the  thing  formed,  say  unto  him  that  formed 
it,  why  hast  thou  made  me  thus.'"'  If  the  stress  of  it,  be  rested 
on  the  partial  revelation  of  God's  purposes,  it  comes  in  direct 
conflict  with  the  relation  which  must  ever  exist  between 
creatures  and  their  Creator;  and  the  objection  will  eternally 
exist;  for  God  will  forever  be  infinite  in  all  his  attributes, 
and  his  purposes  past  finding  out,  and  all  creatures  will  be  but 
as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance  before  Him. 

These  observations  also  show,  that  the  system  of  popery, 
morally  speaking,  could  not  have  been  established,  except 
upon  the  virtual  or  practical  denial  of  this  very  doctrine, 
which  is  alleged  by  infidels  in  disproof  of  the  inspiration  of 
the  apostles:  and  it  is  remarkable  that  Chillingworth  has  drawn 
an  argument  from  the  doctrine  of  the  millenaries  against  the 
infallibility  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church.  It  is  well  worth 
while  for  the  reader  to  refer  to  it,  (see  his  works,  Additional 
Discourse  V.)  Chillingworth  might  have  given  a  wider  scope 
to  his  conclusion;  for  this  doctrine,  as  will  presently  be  shewn, 
concludes  as  strongly  against,  not  only  the  whole  exterior,  but 
the  entire  spirit  of  the  system  of  popery.  Hence  it  is,  that 
while  most  Romanists  have  treated  the  doctrine  as  a  heresy, 
others  feeling  their  traditions  must  fail,  if  Papias,  I'renaeus, 
Justin  Martyr,  TertuUian,  Lactantius  and  their  cotemporaries 
should  be  denounced  as  heretics,  endeavour  to  escape  the 
dilemma,  by  taking  a  distinction  between  what  these  fathers 
have  said  in  the  name  of  the  church,  and  have  delivered  as  the 
doctrine  of  the  church,  and  what  they  choose  to  consider  their 
personal  opinions  and  conjectures.  Some  of  them  trace  the 
doctrine  to  certain  passages  in  the  Apocalypse,  which  they 
suppose  these  fathers  misinterpreted;  while  others  affirm,  that 
they  borrowed  it  from  Plato.  The  answer  given  by  Chilling- 
worth to  this  mode  of  getting  over  the  difficulty  is  conclusive. 
The  fact,  however,  that  all  the  fathers,  whose  writings  have 
come  down  to  us,  previous  to  Origen,  and  some  who  were 
cotemporary  and  subsequent  to  him,  believed  this  doctrine 
cannot  be  disproved.     The  question  then,  which  is  submitted 

VOL.  III. — 46 


74  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

to  the  reader,  is  this:  ''Is  it  possible  that  the  apostles,  or  any- 
other  body  of  pious  Christians,  who  seriously  believed  that 
their  Lord  and  Master  might  return  during  their  life  time, 
and  who  ardently  desired,  and  earnestly  hoped,  and  even  ex- 
pected in  some  degree,  that  He  xoould  so  return,  could  have 
busied  their  hearts  and  minds  about  the  pomps  and  vanities  of 
popery?  Is  it  supposable  even,  that  they  could  have  coveted 
secular  power,  splendid  forms  of  worship,  extended  ecclesiasti- 
cal jurisdiction?  Let  the  reader  take  a  cursory  glance  at  the 
voluminous  codes  of  canon  law — note  the  variety  of  its  sub- 
jects— its  refined  and  artificial  distinctions,  and  all  those  provi- 
sions which  look  to  perpetuity;  and  then  ask  himself,  "Could 
such  things  as  these,  engross  the  minds  of  men  who  seriously 
believed  this  doctrine."  I^ook  again  at  the  episcopal  palaces 
and  cathedrals,  whose  foundations  were  laid  deep,  and  strong, 
and  with  manifest  design  to  survive  the  effect  of  ages — Look 
also  at  their  rich  endowments  and  funded  revenues;  ample 
enough  to  send  the  gospel  into  all  nations,  if  they  had  been  so 
employed — are  not  these  things  so  many  practical  denials  of 
the  doctrine  in  question?* 

*  The  evil  influence  of  this  departure  from  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints,  is  not  confined  to  the  Papal  church.  We  may  see  it  not  only  in  the 
purest  of  the  Protestant  churches,  but  in  the  families  of  truly  pious  Christians. 
If  every  pious  head  of  a  family  lived  continually  under  the  influence  of  the 
blessed  hope  of  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  Saviour  in  his  own  time,  we 
should  not  see  the  children  of  the  church  so  much  like  the  children  of  those 
who  do  not  profess  godliness.  Consider  what  would  be  the  conduct  of  a 
man,  who  really  believed  his  Lord  might  come  before  his  death,  and  translate 
him,  as  the  apostle  teaches  the  saints  will  be,  who  shall  live  at  the  coming  of 
our  Lord.  Examine  the  details  of  human  employment,  desire,  and  expecta- 
tion, and  put  the  question  upon  each  particular;  what  would  be  the  influence 
of  ihis  doctrine  upon  such  a  man  in  respect  to  it"!  Would  he  be  greedy  of 
wealthl  Would  he  amass  it  by  oppression  or  extortion?  Would  he  hoard  it"? 
Would  \\e  entail  his  estates'?  Would  he  covet  worldly  distinctions'?  Would 
he  over-estimate  present  easel  Would  he  be  indifferent  to  the  immediate 
conversion  of  his  children  and  near  relatives'?  Would  he  say  to  himself, 
they  are  young,  there  is  time  enough  yet  to  labour  with  them;  my  Lord 
will  certainly  delay  his  coming  not  only  till  they  have  grown  old,  but 
for  centuries  after  ihey  are  deadi  Then  consider  again,  what  effect  the 
conversation,  conduct,  hopes,  expectations,  employments  and  plans  of  such 
a  parent  would  have  upon  the  education  and  the  character  of  his  chil- 
dren. Is  a  child  trained  in  the  way  he  should  go,  who  reads  in  every  thing 
about  him,  the  sentiment,  "My  Lord  delayeth  his  coming,"  "My  Lord  cer- 
tainly will  not  come  for  a  thousand  years  yet."  In  fact,  most  children  (those 
even  of  pious  parents)  are  educatetl  upon  the  principle,  or  the  assumed  cer- 
tainty, that  all  things  will  continue  as  they  are  and  have  been,  for  a  long  time 
to  come.  Nay,  even  the  operations  of  the  church  for  the  promotion  of  piety, 
are  often  founded  on  the  same  idea.  How  often  it  is,  that  money  is  given  with 
the  direction  to  fund  the  principal,  while  the  interest  only  shall  be  expended  in 
the  promotion  of  some  pious  object.  Do  not  such  directions  say  plainly,  my 
Lord  delayeth  his  coming  for  a  long  time  to  comel  Hence  it  is  that  the  chil- 
dren of  religious  teachers,  from  whom  the  world  naturally  expects  the  best 
examples  of  religious  training,  engage  almost,  if  not  quite  as  often  as  others 
do,  and  with  as  great  ardour,  in  the  pursuit  of  gain  and  worldly  honour.  This 
js  one  of  the  effects  of  that  falling  away,  predicted  by  Paul,  which  is  not  con- 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  75 

The  first  Christians  sold  their  possessions,  Acts  2:  45.    They 
believed,    it  is  true,  that  Jerusalem,  the  place   where  their 
possessions  were,  would  soon  be  destroyed.     But  Christians 
who  lived  in  other  parts  of  the  Roman  empire,  though  they 
knew  not  that  the  day  of  Christ  would  certainly  come  m  their 
time,  yet  not  knowing  that  it  would  not  come  in  their  life 
time,  and  believing  that  it  was  not  remote,  certainly  would 
lightly  esteem  those  things  which  the  papal  power  has  always 
been  chiefly  solicitous  to   gain  and  perpetuate  to  itself.     The 
man  who  can  say  in  imitation  of  his  Lord  and  Master,  "My 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,"  and  who  also  believes  it  possible, 
his  Lord  may  appear  after  a  brief  interval,  and  confer  upon 
him  a  crown  of  righteousness,  and  make  him  a  king  and  priest 
unto  God,  is  incapable  of  imbibing  the  spirit  of  the  papacy. 
There  cannot  be  much  doubt  that  one  of  the  earliest  corrup- 
tions of  the  primitive  faith,  was  the  belief  that  the  apostles 
were  mistaken  in  reference  to   this  subject,  or  what  in  effect 
amounts  to  the  same  thing,  that  they  must  be   understood  as 
speaking  mystically  or  of  a  spiritual  and  not  of  a  personal 
coming.       this   single    change    in    the    belief   of   Christians, 
formed,  as   it  were,  a  broad  basis  upon  which  the  towering 
hierarchy  of  that  church  was  builded.     Ungodly  men,  allured 
by  ambition,  and  who  desired  nothing  less  than  the  coming  of 
Christ,  got  influence  in  the  church,  and  they  constructed  a 
system,  every  part  almost  of  which,  speaks  in  language  not  to 
be  misunderstood, "My  Lord  delayeth  his  coming."    They  dis- 
regarded what  Paul  said,  (with  reference  even  to  the  domestic 
relation   of  marriage,  and  with   a  view  to   dissuade  from   an 
over-estimate   of  any   thing   which   pertained   merely   to   the 
present   condition    of  things.)     "The    fashion    of  the    world 
passeth  away,"  and  also  our  Lord's  injunction,  "watch,  for  ye 
know  not  when  the  Son  of  Man  cometh."     They  forget  too, 
another  saying  of  our  Lord.     "This  gospel  shall  be  preached 

fined  to  any  communion,  and  it  is  that  very  thing,  which  prepare?  the  church 
as  well  as  the  world  for  the  surprise,  with  which  the  great  day  \vill  burst  upon 
them  Those  who  consider  this  doctrine  as  carnal  and  earthly  in  its  ten- 
dencies, could  scarcely  make  a  greater  mistake.  The  fact  is,  U  is  too  un- 
earthly, too  spiritual  to  be  received  and  lived  by,  as  if  it  were  true,  \vithout 
more  grace  than  is  given  to  most.  It  is  not  only  a  grief,  but  the  cause  ol  many 
distressing  doubts  and  fears  to  some  who  do  hope  they  cordially  receive  this 
doctrine,  that  their  lives  accord  so  little  with  their  belief  and  their  hopes 
But  one  cause  of  their  short  comings  (though  it  is  no  excuse)  is,  that  the  great 
body  of  those  who  profess  faith  in  Christ,  live  by  the  contrary  rule,  practical  y 
savin-  "My  Lord  delayeth  his  coming."  The  thought  will  doubtless  occur  to 
some  that'those  who  have  hitherto  thus  judged,  have,  as  events  have  shewii, 
iud-e'd  rightly.  But  it  should  be  remembered,  they  judged  blindly,  (see  Mark 
13-  35  36?)  and  who  can  say  that  the  effects  of  the  error  may  not  be  felt  in  the 
unseen  state.  One  thing  we  know,  that  all  scripture  is  profitable,  and  that  no 
error  in  divine  things  is  entirely  harmless,  though  one  error  may  cause  more 
detriment  than  another. 


76  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

among  all  nations  for  a  witness,  and  then  shall  the  end  be" — 
that  is,  there  is  to  be  no  perpetuity  or  continuance  after  the 
universal  promulgation  of  the  gospel  witness. 

A  jurisdiction,  therefore,  really  oecumenical  would  be  su- 
perseded the  moment  it  became  such.  God  has,  however,  for 
inscrutable  reasons,  permitted  the  change  of  the  church  at  an 
early  period,  from  a  missionary  to  a  sedentary  character,  to 
become  the  means  of  delaying  the  end.  While  the  church 
was  missionary,  and  intent  upon  executing  the  command,  "Go 
ye  into  all  the  world,"  &c.  Christians  were  not  solicitous  about 
forms,  ceremonies,  splendid  places  of  worship,  &c. — the  tent 
or  the  open  field,  a  private  house,  were  the  places  of  their 
labour.  But  when  the  church  became  sedentary — an  establish- 
ment leaning  on  the  arm  of  political  power,  she  busied  herself 
chiefly  about  building  lofty  cathedrals,  and  devising  splendid 
ceremonies,  and  then  the  gospel  ceased  to  spread,  and  large 
nations  have  ever  since  been  left  in  darkness. 

At  the  period  of  the  reformation,  the  grosser  corruptions  of 
popery  were,  by  most  of  the  Protestant  bodies,  immediately 
cast  off,  and  the  principal  doctrines  of  grace  were  vindicated 
from  much  error  which  had  been  mixed  with  them.  Yet, 
some  things  of  papal  origin,  pertaining  to  doctrine,  as  well  as 
discipline,  were  left  untouched.  The  consequence  has  been, 
that  the  effects  of  the  great  apostacy  predicted  by  Paul  in  2 
Thess.  2  ch.,  are  in  some  measure  felt  even  by  the  purest  of 
the  Protestant  churches.  Luther,  however,  did  not  hold  the 
views  which  are  now  so  generally  entertained  relative  to  the 
millennium.  In  his  Table  Talk,  ch.  2,  may  be  found  the 
following  remarkable  sentiment.  "I  hope  the  last  day  of 
Judgment  is  not  far  off.  I  verily  persuade  myself  it  will  not 
be  absent  full  three  hundred  years  longer."  Of  course  this 
reformer  was  not  looking  forward  to  a  spiritual  millennium  to 
precede  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  But  in  Faber's  Sacred 
Calendar  of  Prophecy,  it  is  reckoned  that  the  millennium  will 
commence  in  the  year  A.  D.  1865 — that  it  will  end  in  A.  D. 
2865,  but  the  second  advent  of  Christ,  the  literal  resurrection 
and  the  day  of  judgment,  (which  he  reckons  a  literal  day,)  is 
postponed  until  the  year  A.  D.  3200. 

If  these  views  of  Faber  are  correct,  it  follows  that  without 
any  new  revelation,  the  present  generation  is  able  certainly  to 
know  and  positively  to  determine,  that  which  none  of  the  apos- 
tles or  apostolical  men,  or  their  immediate  converts,  appear  to 
have  known  or  taught,  and  the  reader  has  seen  what  use 
infidels  make  of  this  opinion.  But  we  must  hasten  to  a  con- 
clusion. The  infidel  writer  referred  to,  is  correct  in  his 
assertion,  as  to  the  frequency  with  which  the  apostles  refer  to 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  77 

the  second  coming  of  Christ.  Paul's  Epistles  contain  at  least 
thirty-three  plain  instances  of  such  reference,  if  not  more. 
James  refers  to  the  same  event,  once;  Peter  seven  times; 
John  twice  in  his  first  epistle,  and  several  times  in  the 
Revelations.  Jude  refers  to  it  also  in  his  short  epistle.  He 
is  correct  too,  in  saying  they  used  it  as  a  motive  to  a  Godly 
life.  In  fact,  they  urge  the  doctrine  as  a  motive  ''to  modera- 
tion and  sobriety,  against  censorious  judgment,  to  ministerial 
diligence  and  faithfulness — to  patience  and  forbearance — to 
watchfulness — to  spiritual  mindedness — to  general  obedience 
and  holiness — to  mortification  of  earthly  lusts — to  brotherly 
love — to  love  to  Christ."  But  his  assertion  that  they  were 
mistaken,  is  without  foundation,  for  they  taught  that  the  time 
of  the  second  coming  of  our  Lord  is  so  absolutely  indefinite, 
that  no  man  can  certainly  know  that  it  may  not  occur  in  his 
life  time;  although  it  may  be  true,  that  from  general  signs 
(Matth.  24:  3-27.  2  Tim.  3:  1.  Luke  21:  29,  3L  2  Thess.  2: 
3)  or  aspects  of  the  times,  the  men  of  any  past  age  might  have 
concluded,  that  the  day  was  not  impending  as  it  were  over  their 
heads,  (and  thus  much  may  we  know,)  yet  they  could  not 
know,  that  events  might  not,  in  the  providence  of  God,  be  so 
rapidly  hastened,  as  to  bring  the  advent  within  the  compass 
of  the  age  in  which  they  lived.  This  doctrine  cannot  be  dis- 
proved by  any  infidel,  and  the  apostles  made  only  that  use  of 
it,  which  reason  and  the  example  and  express  command  of  our 
Lord  required. 

In  reply,  however,  to  this  answer,  the  infidel  alleges  that 
the  conduct  of  the  major  part  of  the  Christian  church,  at  least 
from  the  age  of  Constantino,  has  contradicted  this  view;  for 
practically  the  church  has  said  that  the  apostles  were  mistaken, 
and  the  recourse  of  many  Christians  to  a  spiritual  or  mystical 
sense,  will  never  persuade  the  infidel  to  surrender  that  which  he 
perceives  to  be  the  real  sense.  This  reply  is  a  sort  oi argume?itum 
ad  hominem,  and  it  is  the  only  argument  which  remains  to  the 
infidel.  He  cannot  say  that  the  event  has  disproved  the  doc- 
trine, for  the  doctrine  contains  nothing  contrary  to  the  event, 
but  it  is  perfectly  consistent  with  it.  Nor  does  the  lapse  of 
time  prove  that  motives  to  Christian  conduct  could  not  con- 
sistently with  reason  be  derived  from  the  ignorance  men  have 
always  been  under,  of  the  time  of  the  event;  because,  the 
argument,  if  it  proves  any  thing,  increases  in  force  with  the 
lapse  of  time,  and  according  to  it,  the  men  of  this  century, 
have  much  stronger  reasons  for  believing  that  the  second 
coming  of  our  Lord  will  not  take  place,  during  this  century, 
than  the  Christians  of  the  first  century  had  for  believing  that 
it  would  not  take  place  in  their  age,  and  yet  we  are  much 
46* 


78  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING,  &c. 

nearer  to  it  than  they  were:  and  those  who  shall  live  at  the 
end  of  1000  years  from  this  time,  should  the  present  condition 
of  things  continue  so  long — nay,  the  very  last  generation  of 
men  previously  to  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  (whether  it  be 
this,  the  next,  the  fiftieth  or  any  other  more  remote,)  will 
have  the  strongest  reason  of  all  men,  (so  far  as  mere  lapse  of 
time  can  be  a  reason,)  for  believing  that  Christ  will  not  come 
to  them  in  judgment,  at  the  very  moment,  when  the  eternal 
king  shall  open  the  clouds  in  terrible  majesty:  men  are  very 
prone  to  reason  thus;  and  Peter  informs  us,  that  the  men  of 
the  last  times  will  reason  thus,  (2  Pet.  2:  3.)  And  our  Lord 
describes  the  last  generation  of  men  as  being  in  eager  pursuit 
of  the  concerns  of  this  life,  just  as  if  the  dispensation  were  but 
begun,  (Luke  17:  26-30 — 21:  35.)  But  such  reasoning  in- 
volves the  denial  of  God's  government  over  the  world,  because 
it,  in  effect,  denies  that  he  will  ever  put  an  end  to  this  condi- 
tion of  things,  and  summon  the  living  and  the  dead  to  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ.  Infidels  do  indeed  deny  this  doc- 
trine, but  they  cannot  disprove  the  truth  of  it  by  their  alleged 
inconsistencies  of  the  scriptures,  with  themselves  or  with 
God's  providence.  We  see  too  that  popery  and  deism  are 
only  diflferent  forms  of  unbelief — the  one  being  a  formal,  and 
the  other  a  virtual  or  practical  denial  of  God's  truth.  The 
deist  says,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  never  come — the 
founders  of  the  papacy  say  he  will  come,  but  not  for  many, 
many  ages.  They  did  not  believe  the  apostles' doctrine  in  the 
literal  sense,  althougli  it  is  impossible  to  understand  it  in  any 
other  sense.  The  only  reason  which  they  could  possibly 
give,  was  that  the  event  proved  that  the  apostles  and  their 
immediate  converts  (if  they  had  foreseen  the  event)  would 
have  had  no  reason  to  expect  its  occurrence  in  their  life  time. 
They  sought  out  therefore  a  sense,  which,  while  it  allowed 
them  to  presume  upon  the  forbearance  of  God,  as  though  he 
had  covenanted  to  spare  the  abominations  of  this  world  for- 
ever, in  truth  imputed  to  the  apostles,  the  gross  mistake,  which 
infidelity  lays  to  their  charge. 

Had  the  churcli,  however,  persevered  in  the  belief  of  the 
apostles,  the  gospel,  humanly  speaking,  would  long  since  have 
been  preached  in  all  the  world  for  a  witness,  and  many  who 
now  live,  might  have  been  born  in  that  dispensation,  with 
which  Satan  will  not  be  allowed  to  interfere. 


APPENDIX  TO  ESSAY  V. 

The  second  chapter  of  the  2nd  Epist.  to  the  Thessalonians, 
when  properly  considered,  has  a  very  important  bearing  upon 
the  subject  of  this  essay.  It  shews  that  the  prevailing  opinion 
of  a  spiritual  millennium  before  the  advent  of  Christ,  was 
unknown  to  that  church  and  even  to  the  apostle  Paul.  It  is 
proposed  in  this  note  to  submit  a  few  hints  to  the  reader,  with 
a  view  to  direct  his  attention  to  the  bearings  of  that  chapter 
upon  the  subject  discussed. 

The  Epistle,  it  is  supposed,  was  written  about  the  year  A. 
D.  52.  This  was  about  eighteen  years  before  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  by  Titus.  The  Thessalonians,  or  some  of  them, 
says  Dr.  Paley,  had  conceived  the  opinion,  that  the  coming  of 
Christ  was  to  take  place  instantly,*  and  it  was  this  erroneous 
impression  the  apostle  designed  to  correct  in  this  second 
chapter.  But  many  things  were  to  occur  before  the  day  of 
Christ,  each  of  which  would  have  been  a  sufficient  assurance 
that  the  da}^  they  were  expecting  was  not  absolutely  impend- 
ing. If  the  reader  will  turn  to  our  Lord's  prophecy  on  the 
Mount,  he  will  find  that  several  notable  things  must  take 
place,  before  the  Son  of  Man  would  appear  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  with  power  and  great  glory.  Jerusalem  must  be 
encompassed  by  armies,  and  be  taken  and  utterly  destroyed, 
and  the  Jews  must  be  carried  captive  into  all  nations,  and 
Jerusalem  must  be  trodden  down  by  Gentiles,  till  the  times  of 
the  Gentiles  should  be  fulfilled,  Luke  21:  20,  24,27.  Ob- 
viously then  the  apostle  might  (on  the  authority  of  this  pro- 
phecy) have  said  to  the  church  he  was  addressing:  "Let  no  one 
deceive  you  by  any  means;  for  that  day  shall  not  come  except" 
Jerusalem  be  first  encompassed  by  armies,  and  be  taken  and 
destroyed,  and  its  inhabitants  be  carried  captive  into  all 
nations,  and  Jerusalem  be  trodden  down  by  Gentiles,  until  the 
times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled.  In  fi\ct,  in  the  previous 
epistle  the  apostle  referred  very  pointedly  to  this  approacliing 
calamity.  Speaking  of  the  Jews  he  says,  "Who  both  killed 
the  Lord  Jesus  and  their  own  prophets,  and  have  persecuted 
us:  and  they  please  not  God,  and  are  contrary  to  all  menj  for- 

*  (jti  ivirrmiv  nempe  hoc  anno,  (says  Grotius,)  fviTTux-iv  hie  clicitur  de  re 
prtesenti  ut  Rom.  8:  38.  1  Cor.  3:  22.  Gal.  1:  4.  Heb.  9:  9. 


80  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

bidding  us  to  speak  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they  might  be  saved, 
to  fill  up  their  sin  alvvay,  but  wrath  (t^Sas-s  cTs  j;r' awTou?  hc  tsao?  with 
which  expression  compare  Luke  11:  20.  Matth.  12:  28)  hath 
reached  them — (has  arrived  at  them,)  to  the  end."  that  is,  to 
continue-until  the  end.  It  cannot  be  reasonably  doubted  that 
the  apostle  here  refers  to  the  judgments  which  the  Saviour 
predicted,  would  come  upon  the  Jews,  in  his  prophecy  on  the 
Mount.  The  Thessalonians,  however,  did  not  understand 
him,  or  did  not  duly  consider  this  expression.  Dr.  Paley 
supposes  that  the  passage  in  the  first  epistle,  which  they  mis- 
interpreted, was  in  the  4th  chap.  15th-17th  verses,  and  5th 
chap.  4th  verse.  However  this  may  be,  the  standing  of 
Jerusalem,  in  a  state  of  apparent  peace  and  safety,  and  the 
existence  of  the  Jews  as  a  community,  would  have  been  a  sure 
sign  that  the  day  of  Christ  was  not  impending,  and,  as  they 
supposed,  just  ready  to  break  upon  them.  Why  then  did  he  not 
fix  upon  that  as  a  sign?  It  may  be  answered  perhaps,  that 
Jerusalem  was  at  a  great  distance,  and  its  standing  and  freedom 
from  hostile  invasion,  would  not  be  so  proper  a  sign  to  give  a 
Gentile  church,  as  some  other,  which  would  come  more  im- 
mediately under  their  inspection.  This  may  be  true:  but  as  the 
writings  of  the  apostles  were  designed  for  the  instruction  of 
the  whole  church  in  all  time,  till  the  end,  there  was  a  pro- 
priety in  fixing  upon  some  sign,  which  would  survive  that 
generation,  inasmuch  as  the  event  has  shewn  (although  it  was 
not  known  beforehand)  that  the  day  of  Christ  was  many 
generations  distant  from  them.  Had  the  apostle  fixed  upon 
the  standing  of  Jerusalem  as  the  sign,  it  would  have  been 
sufficient  to  correct  the  error  of  the  Thessalonian  church  for  a 
time,  but  the  sign  would  have  ceased  when  that  city  fell.  If 
he  had  selected  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews  among  all  nations, 
and  assured  them  that  this  event  must  not  only  take  place,  but 
the  Jews  be  gathered  again  into  a  community  before  the  day 
of  Christ  would  be  revealed,  the  sign  would  have  served  even 
until  now;  yet  we  do  not  know  that  this  sign  would  meet  the 
exigencies  of  the  future,  or  if  it  would,  perhaps  it  would  not 
have  met  all  the  designs  which  the  Holy  Spirit  had  in  direct- 
ing the  apostle  to  fix  upon  the  revelation  of  the  man  of  sin  as 
a  sign.  The  scriptures  plainly  teach  that  the  Jewish  people 
will  be  restored.  But  the  time  of  their  restoration  is  not 
revealed.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  involved  in  the  same  uncer- 
tainty as  the  time  of  the  advent.  This  appears  by  Acts  1:  6, 
7,  "Lord  wilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel." 
And  he  said,  "It  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times  and  the 
seasons  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power."  It 
appears,  however,  that  the  Jews  will  not  regain  possession  of 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  gj 

their  ancient  city  till  the  times  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled, 
Luke  21:  24;  and  the  expiry  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles 
will  be  followed  speedily  by  the  advent.  Hence  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  natural  posterity  of  Israel  from  their  present 
captivity  will  take  place  during  the  interval,  which  we  have 
reason  to  believe  will  be  brief,  although  it  may  comprehend 
within  its  limits  a  generation,  or  the  ordinary  period  of  human 
life,  or  even  a  longer  time.  It  has  occurred  to  the  writer,  that  the 
redemption  spoken  of  by  our  Lord  in  Luke  21:  28,  applies  as 
well  to  the  redemption  of  the  Jews  from  their  present  captivity 
and  dispersion,  as  to  the  redemption  of  those  who  believe  in 
Jesus.  The  Lord  foretells  the  signs  which  will  ensue,  on  the 
expiry  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles,  (vs.  25,  26.)  There 
shall  be  signs  in  the  sun,  in  the  moon,  in  the  stars;  on  the 
earth,  distress  of  nations,  sea  and  waves  roaring;  mens'  hearts 
failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  looking  after  those  things  which 
are  coming  on  the  earth:  for  the  powers  of  heaven  shall  be 
shaken.  These  agitating  and  distressing  times,  may  continue 
during  a  period  of  considerable  duration,  but  when  these  things 
begin  to  come  to  pass,  (says  our  Lord,)  then  look  up,  lift  up 
your  heads,  for  your  redemption  draweth  nigh."  Now  the 
persons  actually  addressed  were  his  disciples,  but  they  were 
also  Jews.  They  had  a  strong  attachment  to  their  nation. 
This  is  evident  from  the  inquiry  they  addressed  the  Lord  just 
before  his  ascension.  "Lord  wilt  thou  at  this  time,  restore  the 
kingdom  to  Israel?"  The  disciples,  therefore,  may  be  con- 
sidered in  a  twofold  character — as  Christians,  and  constituting 
the  Christian  church,  and  as  Jews.  And  the  words  cannot 
be  confined  to  them  personally,  for  they  have  long  since 
departed  this  life,  but  the  words  seem  to  be  addressed  to  men 
livitig  in  the  Jlesh,  and  therefore  they  are  proper  to  be  under- 
stood as  addressed  to  them  in  a  representative  character.  As 
the  disciples  sustained  the  twofold  character  of  Jews  outwardly 
and  Jews  inwardly — of  the  natural  Israel  and  of  the  Israel  of 
God — the  idea  suggested  is,  that  these  words  may  have  a  two- 
fold application,  as  if  the  Lord  had  said:  When  these  things 
begin  to  come  to  pass,  let  not  only  all  who  believe  in  me,  but 
all  the  captive  children  of  Israel  look  up  and  lift  up  their 
heads,  for  their  redemption  draweth  nigh.  Believers  shall  be 
redeemed  from  the  power  of  the  grave,  and  from  their  bodies 
of  sin  and  death,  and  raised  to  immortal  life  and  glory — and 
Israel  shall  be  redeemed  from  their  bondage  among  the  nations, 
and  their  city  shall  be  trodden  down  no  more  by  their  ene- 
mies. This  interpretation  is  merely  suggested:  It  is  not  in- 
sisted upon;  because  whether  it  be  the  true  sense  or  not,  other 
scriptures  teach,  that  the  restoration  of  Israel  will  take  place 


82  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

about  the  time  of  the  expiring  of  the  times  of  the  Gentiles,  and 
the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  a  cloud  with  power  and 
great  glory.     But  to  return  to  our  subject: 

If  this  view  be  correct,  then  the  apostle  might  have  fixed 
upon  the  continuing  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  after  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  city,  as  a  sign  that  the  day  of  Christ  was  not 
impending.  Perhaps,  however,  as  the  dispersion  of  the  Jew- 
ish people  was  to  precede  the  revelation  of  the  man  of  sin, 
so  their  restoration  must  precede  his  destruction;  but  if  this  be 
so,  the  interval  of  these  events  will,  it  is  supposed,  be  brief, 
and  therefore  the  church  may  reasonably  look  out  for  the 
day  of  Christ  as  very  near,  as  soon  as  Israel  shall  be  restored 
to  the  land  of  their  fathers.  What  reason  then  can  there  be, 
why  the  Holy  Spirit  should  direct  the  apostle  to  fix  upon  the 
approaching  revelation  of  the  man  of  sin  as  a  sign,  rather  than 
the  approaching  dispersion  of  the  Jews,  and  their  continuance 
in  that  state?  It  is  the  common  opinion  of  the  ancients,  and 
of  most  moderns,  that  the  impediment  to  the  revelation  of  the 
man  of  sin,  mentioned  in  the  6th  verse,  was  the  Roman  empire. 
The  apostle  does  not  plainly  declare  what  he  means,  but  he 
refers  that  church  to  what  they  already  knew,  probably  by 
oral  instruction  from  him.  Chrysostom  assigns  as  the  reason 
of  this  obscurity,  that  the  apostle  did  not  wish  to  ofiend  or 
give  umbrage  to  the  government,  by  speaking  too  openly  and 
freely  of  the  downfall  of  the  empire.  It  was  a  topic  not  at  all 
likely  to  be  popular  with  the  higher  powers,  and  at  a  much  later 
day,  Jerome  says  he  had  provoked  hostility  by  speaking  too 
plainly  of  these  things.  And  it  should  be  remembered  too, 
that  as  this  let  or  hindrance  was  soon  to  be  removed,  it  might 
be  safely  committed  to  tradition,  and  the  memory  of  it  was,  in 
fact,  preserved  until  the  fall  of  the  empire,  which  took  place 
near  the  end  of  the  5th  century.  There  was  then  this  dif- 
ference between  the  signs.  The  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and 
the  dispersion  of  the  Jews  were  soon  to  occur,  whereas  the 
empire  of  Rome  would  continue  at  least  four  centuries  longer 
than  Jerusalem.  The  church,  therefore,  by  being  directed  to 
look  for  the  revelation  of  the  man  of  sin,  was  directed  to  look 
to  the  more  distant  event.  The  non-appearance  of  the  man  of 
sin  served  the  church  as  a  sign,  that  the  day  of  Christ  was  not 
impending  during  four  centuries  and  more.  Whereas  the 
standing  of  Jerusalem  and  the  existence  of  the  Jews  as  a  body 
politic,  would  have  scarcely  served  a  single  generation.  This 
may  indeed  be  one  reason  why  the  Spirit  directed  the  apostle 
to  point  the  church  to  the  coming  of  antichrist,  or  the  man  of 
sin,  as  an  event  to  precede  the  advent  they  were  expecting. 
But    there    was    probably    another   reason,   viz.  to    shew   the 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  §3 

character  of  the  time  or  times  that  were  to  ensue  until  the 
time  of  the  end.  The  representation  which  this  chapter  gives 
of  the  future,  is  altogether  inconsistent  with  the  common 
hypothesis  of  a  spiritual  millennium,  before  the  coming  of 
Christ.  The  picture  the  apostle  draws,  is  dark;  not  a  beam  of 
light  does  he  see,  till  he  sees  the  brightness  of  the  Lord's 
coming.  Let  the  reader  study  this  chapter  with  a  view  to  this 
remark,  "Let  no  one  deceive  you,"  he  says,  "The  day  of 
Christ  which  you  are  expecting  is  not  impending."  Why? 
What  assurance  does  he  give?  Does  he  say  there  must  first 
come  a  millennium  of  blessedness  and  purity,  throughout  the 
whole  earth?  On  the  contrary,  he  says,  that  day  will  not 
come,  except  the  aposlacy  (« cf^ca-Ta^U)  first  come — the  apostacy 
— something  specific,  not  simply  a  falling  away.  But  call  it  a 
falling  away:  Of  what?  not  of  the  world,  for  that  was  already 
very  far  fallen  away  from  God,  and  events  have  shewn  that 
thus  far  the  mass  of  the  nations  have  not  been  brought  nearer. 
The  falling  away  predicted  then,  was  of  the  church.  So  that 
the  church  instead  of  being  the  means  of  converting  the  world, 
was  itself  to  fall  away.  Again:  the  man  of  sin  must  be 
revealed  before  the  day  of  Christ,  and  the  son  of  perdition. 
Next  we  have  a  description  of  the  awful  wickedness  of  that 
antichristian  power.  The  apostle  gives  us  no  intimation  of 
any  check  or  restraint  put  upon  it;  on  the  contrary,  what  he 
says,  is  applicable  only  to  a  predominating  power,  whose 
wicked  will  the  followers  of  Christ  are  unable  successfully  to 
oppose.  This  power  he  says  had  not  appeared — and  the 
apostacy  had  not  yet  begun.  But  the  mystery  of  iniquity  was 
at  work  in  the  apostle's  day,  which  in  due  time  would  issue  in 
apostacy,  and  the  revelation  of  the  man  of  sin,  and  son  of  per- 
dition. Augustin  (Civitat.  Dei  lib.  20,  §  19)  remarks,  "Some 
understand  the  words,  and  now  ye  know  what  wilhholdeth,  and  the 
words,  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already  zcork,  of  wicked  and  hypo- 
critical persons  in  the  church,  till  they  come  to  such  a  number  as 
to  make  a  great  people  for  antichrist,  and  that  this  is  the  mystery 
of  iniquity,  because  it  is  as  yet  a  secret."  Whatever  be  the 
meaning  precisely  of  these  words,  it  is  enough  for  the  present 
purpose  to  say,  that  they  predict  increasing  wickedness,  and 
not  the  advancement  of  the  church  in  holiness.  The  apostle 
then  declares  that  the  man  of  sin,  whom  he  calls  that  wicked, 
will  subsist,  after  he  shall  have  been  once  revealed,  until  the 
Lord's  coming,  because  he  declares  he  shall  be  destroyed  by 
the  brightness  of  the  Lord's  coming.  Now  this  cannot  mean, 
as  some  suppose,  a  spiritual  coming  which  shall  destroy  this 
wicked  power,  by  converting  it  into  a  holy  power,  because  in 
all  fair  reasoning  we  must  suppose  that  if  the  Thessalonians 


84  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

were  expecting  the  personal  advent  of  Christ,  immediately  to 
occur,  and  that  the  apostle  was  writing  with  a  view  to  correct 
their  mistake  by  shewing  them,  that  a  certain  power  which 
had  not  then  appeared,  must  appear  before  the  day  of  Christ, 
(because  it  must  be  destroyed  by  the  appearing  of  Christ,)  he 
must  be  understood  as  writing  of  the  same  sort  of  coming  as 
they  were  expecting.  Still  more  absurd  would  it  be  to  explain 
the  coming  here  spoken  of,  as  a  figure,  signifying  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  by  the  Roman  armies,  because  such  an 
expectation  would  not  be  likely  to  trouble  a  Gentile  church, 
many  hundred  miles  distant  from  that  place.  Besides  this, 
even  the  Jewish  Christians,  who  were  more  immediately  con- 
cerned with  the  fortunes  of  Jerusalem,  had  no  reason  to 
believe  its  destruction  was  distant,  and  it  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed, this  apostle  would  have  assured  them  that  it  was.  1 
Thess.  2:  16.  So  that  if  the  destruction  of  that  city  xoas  a 
coming,  in  any  scriptural  sense,  it  was  to  be  expected  as  near. 
Where  then  is  there  any  thing  in  the  whole  of  this  chapter, 
(which  we  have  seen  extends  from  the  apostles'  day  to  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  power  and  great  glory,  at  the  end  of  this 
dispensation,)  lo  favour  the  idea  of  a  spiritual  millennium, 
such  as  the  larger  part  of  the  Protestant  church  of  the  present 
day  expects?  Instead  of  the  triumph  of  the  church,  the  apos- 
tle writes  of  its  apostacy — instead  of  perfect  or  increasing 
holiness  and  purity  in  the  church  in  his  day,  he  says  iniquity 
is  at  work  secretly,  (in  a  mystery,) — instead  of  the  extinction 
of  this  leaven;  the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition,  or  that 
wicked,  was  soon  to  appear — instead  of  the  destruction  of  the 
man  of  sin  by  the  church,  with  the  blessing  of  God  or  the 
ordinary  means  of  grace,  or  even  the  keeping  of  him  in  check, 
he  was  to  oppose  and  exalt  himself  above  all  that  is  called  God 
or  is  worshipped,  so  that  he  should  sit  as  God  in  the  temple  of 
God,  (i.  e.  in  the  church  itself,)  showing  himself  that  he  is 
God.  The  coming  of  this  antichristian  power,  was  to  be  after 
the  working  of  Satan  with  all  power  and  signs,  and  lying 
wonders,  and  with  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  in 
them  that  perish.  So  great  would  be  the  wickedness  of  these 
persons,  that  God  would  give  them  over  to  strong  delusion — 
leave  them  to  judicial  blindness,  that  they  should  believe  a  lie, 
that  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but 
had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness.  Add  to  this,  not  a  word  is 
said  concerning  the  conversion  of  all  nations,  and  bringing  them 
into  the  bosom  of  the  church,  and  if  that  had  been  predicted, 
the  description  which  is  given  of  the  subsequent  apostacy  of 
the  church,  shews  that  only  more  nations — all  nations,  in  fact, 
would  thereby  become  abusers  of  this  gospel  of  the  grace-  of 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  85 

God,  and  so  bring  down  upon  them  a  more  awful  condemna- 
tion.    Let  the  reader  then  examine  the  picture  which  this 
chapter  gives  of  the  future,  and,  if  he  can,  find  a  place  for  a 
spiritual  millennium,  between  the  apostles'  day  and  the  day 
of  the  destruction  of  the  man  of  sin,  by  the  brightness  of  the 
Lord's  coming.      If  there  is  to  be  a  millennium  of  peace  and 
blessedness  throughout  the  whole  earth  before  tbe  coming  of 
Christ,  is   it  not  very  remarkable  that  the    apostle  was   not 
directed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  make  mention  of  it?     If  the 
design  was  to  give  the  church  a  sign  that  would  endure  to  the 
end — or  to  give  as  a  sign,  the  description  of  that  state  of  things 
which  should  immediately  precede  the  end,  why  did  not  the 
apostle  assure  the  Thessalonian  church  that  their  fears  wore  all 
groundless,  because  that  day  would  not  come  except  there  be 
a  thousand  years  of  universal  blessedness  first?     And  if  the 
object  were  not  to  furnish  the  church  with  a  continuing  sign 
down  to  the  very  day  of  the  advent — the  fact,  that  a  thousand 
years  must  elapse  previously  to  the  day  of  Christ,  (no  matter 
whether  they  would  begin  to  run  sooner  or  later,)  would  have 
been  all  sufficient  to  correct  the  mistake  of  the  individuals  to 
whom  the  epistle  was  first  addressed.     If  the  apostle  had  so 
plain  a  way  as  this,  to  assure  that  church,  and  the  church  in  all 
times  since,  that  the  day  of  Christ  was  remote  from  them,  and 
remote  at  least  a  thousand  years  from  all  who  should  not  live  to 
see  the  commencement  of  this  blessed  period,  why  did  he  write 
in  an  obscure  way — hinting  what  he  meant,  rather  than  plainly 
declaring  it,  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  unnecessary  offence 
to  the  higher  powers,  as  has  been  plausibly  suggested,  or  for 
any  other  purpose  whatever?     If  the  reader  will  carefully  con- 
sider this  chapter,  he  will,  it  is  believed,  be  compelled  either 
to  admit  the  doctrine  of  the  premillennial  advent,  or  he  must 
explain  how  a  state  of  universal  purity  and  blessedness,  (con- 
responding  with  the  descriptions  which  the  prophets  give  us 
of  the  millennium,)  can  co-exist  with   the  apostacy  and  the 
prevalence  of  the  power  of  the  man  of  sin,  or  finally  he  must 
prove  that  the  brightness  of  the  Lord's  coming,  which  will 
destroy  the  man  of  sin,  or  that  wicked,  is  not  his  personal 
advent  in  power  and  great  glory.     The  second  branch  of  this 
alternative,  will  be  passed  without  observation,  but  upon  the 
last,  although   it  has  been  already  referred  to  incidentally,  the 
reader's  attention  is  requested  to  a  few  additional  observations. 
The  expectation  of  the  Thessalonians,  whatever  it  may  have 
been,  was  of  a  nature  to  shake  and  trouble  their  minds,  (see 
verse  2nd.)     The  word  translated  shaken,  is  a  metaphor  taken 
from  the  sea,  which  being  agitated  by  storms  and  tempests  is 
tossed  to  and  fro.     The  same  word  is  used  in  Matth.  11:  7,  to 
VOL.  III. — 47 


gg  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

denote  the  shaking  of  a  reed  under  the  power  of  the  wind. 
The  word  translated  troubled,  imports  such  perturbation  as 
ariseth  from  the  relation  of  something  terrible.  It  is  a  metaphor, 
says  Leigh,  (Crit.  Sac.)  from  soldiers  frighted  by  a  sudden 
alarm.  It  occurs  in  Matth.  24:  6.  Now  would  such  agitation, 
such  trouble  as  this,  be  excited  by  the  expectation  either  of  a 
figurative  or  providential  coming,  for  the  destruction  of  a  distant 
city,  or  of  a  figurative  coming  to  destroy  the  man  of  sin,  or  the 
apostate  church  by  converting  it  to  a  state  of  holiness,  or  of 
any  other  figurative  or  spiritual  coming  whatever?  The  com- 
mon expectation  of  the  church  now  a  days  is,  that  the  millen- 
nium -will  break  upon  the  world  like  the  light,  gently  and 
gradually,  not  to  destroy  but  to  cheer  and  bless  it.  Even  by 
the  most  ungodly,  its  approach  would  be  hailed  not  with 
terror,  or  with  that  sort  of  agitation  and  trouble  which  the 
Thessalonians  appear  to  have  experienced,  but  as,  at  the  worst, 
an  event  which  would  do  them  no  harm.  This  then,  proves 
that  the  church  immediately  addressed,  were  not  expecting 
any  such  figurative  coming.  But  how  can  the  introduction  of 
the  millennium,  according  to  the  common  hypothesis,  be  called  a 
coming  of  the  Lord  at  all?  The  church  at  present  are  rather 
expecting  a  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  new  and  wonderful 
manifestation  of  power.  Yet  the  coming  of  the  Spirit,  in  any 
way,  cannot  be  the  coming  of  Christ.  If  it  could  be,  then  the 
mission  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  was  a 
coming  of  Christ.  But  the  Lord  Jesus  had  just  before  said  to 
his  disciples,  *'if  I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come, 
but  if  1  depart  I  will  send  him  unto  you,"  John  16:  7.  So 
then  there  are  these  two  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the  supposi- 
tion, that  the  man  of  sin  will  be  destroyed  by  a  spiritual  or 
figurative  coming  to  convert,  and  not  destroy,  viz.  such  a 
coming  would  be  rather  another  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  not  a  coming  of  the  Lord;  and  secondly,  if  it  could  be 
considered  a  coming  of  Christ,  there  was  nothing  in  its  nature 
to  agitate  or  disturb  the  minds  of  Christians. 

Again  the  apostle  must  be  considered  as  referring  in  this 
place  to  the  same  coming  that  he  had  spoken  of  in  the  first 
epistle,  (see  chaps.  1:  10 — 2:  19 — 3:  13 — 4:  16,  17 — 5:  23,  3, 
4,  and  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  2nd  epistle,  verses  7,  S,  9, 
10,)  and  also  to  that  same  coming  which  agitated  and  disturbed 
the  minds  of  that  church.  If  the  reader  will  consult  the  places 
referred  to,  he  will  have  no  doubt  that  the  apostle's  mind  was 
fixed  intently  upon  the  personal  advent  of  the  Lord,  Another 
difficulty  then  in  the  way  of  the  hypothesis  opposed,  is  that  of 
shewing  from  the  epistle  itself  a  satisfactory  reason  why  the 
apostle  should  in  this  eighth  verse  refer  to  a  spiritual  or  figurative 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  §7 

coming,  and  not  to  his  personal  advent  in  power  and  great 
glory.  And  this  difficulty  will  be  greatly  increased,  if  the 
expression  in  the  original  be  carefully  considered,  (t»  im<fiAviij, 
Tn;  Tr^t-gova-a;  dUTcu,)  which,  according  to  Benson,  is  especially 
suitable  to  the  final  advent  of  Christ  to  judgment.  With 
these  observations  this  part  of  the  subject  is  dismissed.  But  a 
few  words  must  be  added  upon  another  topic,  lest  the  reader 
should  suppose  that  the  discussion  in  this  note  or  appendix,  is 
at  variance  with  the  views  advanced  in  the  essay. 

The  apostle  endeavours  in  this  chapter,  to  remove  the  mis- 
taken apprehension  of  the  Thessalonian  church,  that  the  day  of 
Christ  was  impe7iding,  not  to  prove  that  it  was  remote;  or  that 
it  could  not  occur  within  the  period  of  a  life  time.  If  the  opinion 
be  correct,  that  the  impediment  in  the  way  of  the  revelation  of 
the  man  of  sin,  to  which  he  referred,  was  the  Roman  empire, 
the  event  has  shewn,  that  it  was  at  a  considerable  distance. 
Yet  the  time  of  the  downfall  of  that  power  was  not  revealed, 
and  it  existed  (as  do  the  existing  governments  of  the  earth) 
only  by  the  forbearance  of  God.  Its  time  was  fulfilled — the 
time  for  establishing  the  kingdom  of  God  on  its  ruins  had 
already  come,  and,  as  we  have  seen,  the  lengthening  of  its  time 
was  occasioned,  in  some  sense,  by  the  infidelity  of  the  Jews. 
The  apostles  and  the  first  Christians  were  not  informed  how 
long  God  would  spare  that  guilty  power.  All  these  things, 
therefore,  might  have  been  brought  to  pass  within  a  brief 
space.  Yet  for  all  that,  they  might  discern  by  the  signs  of  the 
times,  that  the  day  was  not  actually  impending,  and  thus  much 
may  we  know  at  this  late  day.  It  was  important  to  correct 
this  error,  as  it  exerted  a  hurtful  influence  upon  the  necessary 
and  proper  concerns  of  life.  It  influenced  many,  as  we  have 
reason  to  believe,  to  neglect  their  secular  duties.  It  was  a  sort 
o( de7iial  of  the  faith,  because  it  was  a  perversion  of  the  faith: 
The  doctrine  was,  as  we  have  seen,  that  the  day  of  the  Lord's 
advent  is  not  revealed — that  it  might,  for  aught  that  was  known, 
have  come  during  the  life  time  of  the  first  Christians,  (or  in  the 
time  of  any  of  their  successors)  not  that  it  would  certainly  so 
come.  Hence  those  who  assumed,  as  did  the  Thessalonians, 
the  certainty  of  the  Lord's  advent  immediately,  committed  an 
error  which  was  inconsistent  with  the  scriptures,  and  so  was  in 
eflfect  a  denial  of  the  faith,  and  those  who  (acting  upon  so 
erroneous  and  presumptuous  an  assumption)  neglected  to  pro- 
vide the  necessary  means  of  supporting  in  comfort  their  own, 
especially  those  of  their  own  house,  (as  perhaps  some 
did,  under  the  influence  of  this  error,)  were  worse  than  an 
unbeliever — thai  is,  the  effects  of  this  false  faith  upon  the 
moral  and  relative  duties  of  life,  were  worse  than  the  effects  of 


gg  ESSAYS  ON  THE  COMING 

unbelief  in  the  doctrine  as  it  is  really  taught,  1  Tim.  5:8.  It 
was  on  the  ground  of  the  proneness  of  Christians  thus  to 
pervert  this  doctrine  that  we  find  such  exhortations  as  the 
following:  "Be  not  slothful  in  business,"  Rom.  12:  11.  The 
different  expectations  of  the  future,  which  the  greater  part  of 
professing  Christians  of  the  present  day  entertain,  calls  rather 
for  ministerial  exhortations  of  the  opposite  kind:  Often  it  is 
hard  to  discover  a  difference  between  Christians  and  worldly 
men,  in  the  activity  and  eagerness  with  which  they  engage  in 
the  aflQiirs  of  civil  and  social  life.  But  let  the  church  return 
again  to  the  ancient  faith — let  the  doctrine  be  cordially  re- 
ceived, "the  day  of  the  Lord  is  at  hand,"  and  it  will  be  found 
to  produce  the  same  effects  now  as  it  did  then — this  world 
would  then  appear  as  nothing — its  most  momentous  concerns 
as  trifles — its  business  as  a  weariness  in  the  expectation  of  the 
shortly  expected  advent.  The  infirmity  of  the  flesh  would 
need  the  aid  of  a  counteracting  influence,  and  hence  this 
exhortation,  "Be  not  slothful  in  business,  but  fervent  (•^iovra 
boiling)  in  spirit  serving  the  Lord" — an  exhortation  which  can 
only  be  understood  in  the  light  of  this  doctrine.  There  is 
another  passage  which  should  be  mentioned  in  this  connexion, 
for  the  light  which  this  subject  casts  upon  it.  The  passage 
occurs  in  this  same  epistle  to  the  Thessalonians,  chap.  3:  10. 
"For  when  we  were  among  you,  this  we  commanded  you,  that 
if  any  would  not  work,  neither  should  he  eat."  It  is  supposed 
by  some,  that  the  apostle  intends  in  this  place  to  appoint  a 
pimishment,  proper  to  be  inflicted  upon  those  who  would  not 
work.  An  objection  to  this  view  of  the  passage  is,  that  the 
church  can  exercise  only  spiritual  power,  which  we  do  not 
perceive  to  be  adequate  to  the  execution  of  such  a  sentence.  It 
is  rather  an  authoritative  appeal  to  the  recusant  himself,  who  is 
supposed  to  refuse  to  work  under  the  expectation  of  the  imme- 
diate appearance  of  Christ,  in  which  event  his  labour  would  be 
useless.  As  if  he  had  said,  "If  any  one  acting  under  the  delusive 
expectation  that  the  day  of  Christ  is  impending,  refuses  to  labour 
and  thereby  provide  his  own  bread,  saying  that  the  day  of 
Christ  is  so  near  that  there  is  no  longer  occasion  to  work,  then 
to  be  consistent,  such  a  one  should  not  eat;  for  if  the  day  of 
the  Lord  is  so  near  as  to  dispense  him  from  the  obligation  to 
labour  for  his  support,  then  he  will  not  hunger.  But  if  his 
animal  nature  shall  crave  and  require  food  to  sustain  it  before 
that  day  shall  come,  then  he  should  labour  to  procure  it.  And 
the  apostle  enforces  this  argument  by  a  command  and  exhorta- 
tion, that  such  should  laljour  with  quietness  (for  this  was  a 
Christian  duty)  and  eat  their  own  bread,  because  there  was, 
as  he  had  proved  to  them,  in  the  2nd  chapter,  need  to  labour 


OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD.  89 

yet,  and  patiently  wait  for  the  day  of  Ciirist  which  would  not 
come,  until  after  the  predicted  apostacy  of  the  church  should 
occur,  and  the  man  of  sin  be  revealed.  Such  may  be  the 
meaning  of  these  passages.  If  there  are  insurmountable  ob- 
jections to  the  interpretation,  they  do  not  occur  to  the  writer. 
Still  he  wishes  the  reader  to  receive  it  rather  as  a  suggestion, 
than  as  a  point  clearly  established. 

It  has  been  suggested  in  the  course  of  these  observations, 
that  the  Jews  are  to  be  restored  previously  to  the  advent.  It 
may  be  objected,  that  if  an  event  so  stupendous  as  this,  must 
be  accomplished  previously  to  that  day.  Christians  cannot 
watch  as  though  they  really  expected  it  would  occur  soon. 
But  the  same  objection  might  have  been  made  by  the  first 
Christians,  on  the  ground  that  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and 
then  of  Rome  must  precede  the  advent  of  Christ.  How  could 
the  destruction  of  such  mighty  powers  be  accomplished  in  a 
brief  space?  But  the  reader  must  continually  bear  in  mind, 
that  the  present  condition  of  things  continues  only  by  the 
sufferance  of  God,  and  he  can  hasten  the  end  in  the  appointed 
way  so  as  to  fulfil  all  things  in  the  kingdom  of  God  within 
the  brief  period  of  human  life.  And  as  to  the  restoration  of 
the  Jews — if  we  suppose  that  it  will  precede  the  judgments 
which  will  usher  in  the  kingdom  of  God — it  may  be  brought 
to  pass  suddenly  and  in  some  wonderful  way.  If  the  stork 
knovveth  her  appointed  times,  and  the  turtle,  and  the  crane, 
and  the  swallow  observe  the  time  of  their  coming,  is  it  in- 
credible, that  God  should  simultaneously  and  so  efficaciously 
affect  the  minds  of  that  people,  that  they  shall  arise  as  one 
man,  and  at  the  same  season  set  their  faces  to  return?  There 
are  expressions  in  the  prophecies  which  indicate  that  their 
restoration  shall  not  only  be  suddenly  accomplished,  but  that 
it  shall  be  so  universal  that  even  the  sick  and  the  infirm  shall 
not  be  left  behind.  And  undoubtedly  it  will  be  accomplished 
under  circumstances  which  will  not  be  entirely  subject  to  the 
observation  of  any  one  person,  so  that  he  can  mark  the  pro- 
gress of  it,  or  say  how  far  it  may  be  at  any  time  from  comple- 
tion. Still  if  we  could  not  explain  how  these  things  may  con- 
sist, nor  how  we  should  watch  for  an  event  which  will  not  take 
place  till  after  the  restoration  of  the  Jews,  the  duty  would 
remain,  because  such  is  the  command:  and  the  interest  of  the 
Christian  in  the  performance  of  this  duty  would  also  remain, 
for  as  a  snare  will  that  day  come  upon  all  them  that  dwell  on 
the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 


91 

The  following  propositions  respecting  the  advent,  ai*e  added 
to  fill  a  page  which  would  otherwise  be  vacant.  They  are  no 
part  of  the  foregoing  essays,  but  are  taken  from  the  appendix 
of  a  small  tract  on  "The  Pre-millennial  Personal  Advent  of 
Christ,  by  a  Spiritual  Watchman,"  and  are  said  to  be  from  the 
pen  of  Mr.  Cuninghame. 

PROPOSITIONS  RESPECTING  THE  ADVENT. 

I.  From  Luke  xxi.  25 — 27,  it  appears  that  Christ  comes  just 
while  the  heavens  are  shaking  previous  to  the  passing  away 
thereof.  The  same  is  evident  from  Matt.  xxiv.  29,  30,  and 
Mark  xiii.  24 — 26.  The  three  evangelists  use  the  word 
c-AKiuBntrcvrat  as  marking  the  moment  of  the  advent. 

II.  From  Rev.  vi.  14,  15,  it  appears,  that  when  the  heaven 
passes  away  (a7rs;:^*/!;!r9«,  departed)  the  Lord  is  already  come.  The 
language  of  verses  15  and  16  is  simply  the  description  of  the 
identical  mourning  of  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth,  foretold  in 
Matt.  xxiv.  30;  but  this  mourning  is  not  till  Christ  comes, 
which  is  a  further  confirmation  of  the  former  proposition. 

III.  From  1  Thes.  iv.  17,  it  is  manifest  that  our  Lord's  first 
advent  is  in  the  air,  and  that  there  his  saints  meet  him. 

IV.  From  Zech.  xiv.  it  is  manifest,  that  subsequently  to  our 
Lord's  first  appearance  in  the  air  he  descends  to  the  surface  of 
this  earth;  though  what  interval  of  time  passes  between  these 
events  is  unrevealed. 

V.  The  appearance  in  the  passages  in  Matthew,  Mark  and 
Luke,  already  quoted,  is  the  first  appearance  of  our  Lord  in 
the  air,  since  it  is  previous  to  the  gathering  of  his  elect. 

VI.  Rev.  xiv.  14,  must,  for  a  like  reason,  refer  to  our  Lord's 
appearance  in  the  air. 

VII.  From  Matt,  xxv,  1 — 10,  we  learn  that  the  first  event 
after  our  Lord's  appearance  in  the  air,  and  the  gathering  of 
the  elect,  is  the  marriage. 

VIII.  In  Rev.  xix.  7,  it  is  said,  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is 
come.  But  by  Prop.  VII.  it  is  established,  that  the  marriage 
is  after  the  appearance  in  the  air;  therefore.  Rev.  xix.  7,  re- 
lates to  a  point  in  time  subsequent  to  the  appearance  of  the 
Lord  in  the  air. 

IX.  The  appearance  in  Rev.  xix.  14,  is  subsequent  to  the 
marriage,  therefore  our  Lord  now  is  seen  followed  by  his 
saints,  the  armies  which  are  in  heaven.  This  appearance 
seems  to  be  identified  with  that  in  Zech.  xii.  10. — xiv.  4 — 5. 

X.  From  Matt.  xxiv.  35 — 40,  compared  with  Luke  xvii.  26 
— 30,  and  xxi.  34 — 36,  it  is  apparent  that  tliough,  as  already 


92 

seen  in  Prop.  I.,  the  advent  shall  be  in  a  time  of  alarm,  and 
shaking  of  the  powers  in  the  heavens,  it  shall  yet  be  in  a  day 
of  peace  and  carnal  enjoyment. 

Corollarij. — Therefore  the  events  we  have  lately  seen,  seem 
rather  to  be  the  signs  of  the  approaching  hurricane,  than  the 
hurricane  itself. 

The  foregoing  propositions  were  drawn  up  in  answer  to  the 
objections  of  a  friend,  that  we  are  not  yet  to  expect  the  advent, 
because  the  events  in  Dan.  xi.  44,  45,  must^rs^  happen;  and  I 
added  an  ai'gument,  that  if  (as  I  believe)  the  standing  up  of 
Michael,  Dan.  xii.,  be  the  same  event  as  that  in  Zech.  xiv.  4, 
then  the  events  in  Dan.  xi.  44,  45,  shall  not  precede,  but 
follow,  the  advent  in  the  air. 

I  have  since  arrived  at  some  further  conclusions,  which  are 
embodied  in  the  form  of  Propositions: — 

XI.  At  the  first  sound  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  the  proclama- 
tion of  the  kingdom  takes  place  in  heaven — Rev.  xi.  17,  (mark 

the  i/iaa-tXiVfet;.) 

XII.  The  proclamation,  in  xviii.  2,  announces  not  the  actual, 
hut  approachi?7g  fall  of  Babylon;  for,  from  ver.  4,  it  appears 
that  the  judgment  is  not  yet  executed,  and  that  before  she  falls, 
God's  people,  the  elect,  must  come  out  of  her.  But  the  elect 
are  not  gathered  till  Christ  comes,  and  his  coming  must  conse- 
quently precede  the  judgment  on  Babylon. 

XIII.  As  soon  as  she  falls,  there  is,  in  Rev.  xix.  1 — 6,  a 
second  proclamation  of  the  kingdom,  the  counterpart  of  the 
former  one,  (the  word  is  «,5^cr;Asy5-s,)  and  as  the  first  was  in 
heaven,  announcing  the  accession  to  the  kingdom,  so  I  infer 
that  the  one  in  xix.  1 — 6,  is  on  earth  or  in  the  air,  and  deter- 
mines the  moment  of  the  investiture  in  the  kingdom,  when  our 
Lord  adds  to  the  c-ts^^vsc  the  J'/aefx^aTst  ^om«,  and  this  is  imme- 
diately followed  by  the  marriage. 


'  'tft- 


■^l 


4*--<V 


>>^ 


!*%.  ..^yy 


